Connecting Heroes to the Services They Are Owed
One of the Veterans Administration’s best-kept secrets is the under‑used benefit called Aid and Attendance (A&A). This is a benefit for a non-service-connected disability and is an excellent potential source of funds for long-term care at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a long-term care nursing facility. A&A is an important Veterans Administration (VA) benefit available to wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who may be facing substantial medical and care expenses. Veterans and their surviving spouses who are confined to their homes, or need assisted living or nursing facility care, may qualify for benefits.
Under this program, an unmarried veteran can receive a maximum of $2,229 per month in benefits, a married veteran can receive up to $2,642, and a widow or widower can receive up to $1,432 for A&A for the year 2023. The applicant must be determined to be “permanently and totally disabled.” You can learn more about these numbers and the program on the VA’s website.
According to the VA, if you are over 65, you meet this criteria. The applicant does not need to be “helpless” to qualify. The applicant need only show that they require aid and attendance on a regular basis. Someone who is housebound or in an assisted living or nursing facility and over the age of 65 is presumed by the VA to be in need of aid and attendance. The Veteran must have served at least 90 consecutive days of active duty and at least one day of active duty during wartime (but not necessarily in combat). Additionally, the Veteran’s discharge must have been honorable.
Contact a local elder attorney in your area for more information on qualifying for this great benefit.
