Aide and Attendance Program: In-Home Care Benefits For Veterans and Their Spouses.

Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and our surrounding area are popular destinations for seniors. As we age many are faced with how to pay for the care we need. For many, the answer is VA benefits.

However many are not aware that there is a specific VA program that can help to pay for private in-home care. Furthermore, these benefits are available to those who served as well as their surviving spouses through a program called the aide and attendance program through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Aide and Attendance Program

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs website. The Aide and Attendance program benefit provides monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors.

Qualifying for the Aide and Attendance Program

Determining eligibility for the aide and attendance program isn’t always easy and each case is ultimately decided by the VA.

Here are the general guidelines to help you decide whether to apply for Aid and Attendance.

• Veterans who served on active duty for at least 90 consecutive days, including at least one full day during a time of war, may be eligible for Aid and Attendance if they also qualify for the basic Veterans Pension and meet the clinical and financial requirements.
  • Service in a combat zone is not a requirement. Widowed spouses of eligible veterans may also qualify if they meet the clinical and income requirements and have not remarried.
    • Congress defines the wartime dates that the VA uses to decide which veterans qualify for benefits like Aid and Attendance:
      • World War II: December 7, 1941 — December 31, 1946
      • Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 — January 31, 1955
      • Vietnam Era: February 28, 1961 — May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; otherwise August 5, 1964 — May 7, 1975
      • Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by Presidential proclamation or law (for VA benefits purposes, this time of war is still in effect)

General Veterans Pension Requirements

• In addition to the active duty and wartime service requirements, eligible veterans must also meet at least one of these criteria to qualify for the basic pension:
  • Be 65 or older with no or limited income
  • Have a permanent and total disability
  • Receive Supplemental Security Income
  • Receive Social Security Disability Insurance
  • Reside in a nursing home

Clinical Requirements for Aide and Attendance.

• Veterans or surviving spouses must meet at least one of these clinical criteria:
  • Be bedridden except for medical and therapy appointments and treatments
  • Have severe visual impairment (eyesight limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity OR less in both eyes OR concentric contraction of the visual field to five degrees or less)
  • Reside in a nursing home because of physical or mental incapacity, including Alzheimer’s and dementia
  • Require help with some activities of daily living (ADL’s) such as, but not limited to: bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, etc.

Financial Requirements for The Aide and Attendance Program

In December 2018, the VA set a clear upper limit for applicants’ net worth of $123,600 not including the applicant’s automobile, personal effects, and residence.

The VA also implemented a three-year lookback period to see if assets were sold below market value or gifted in a way that reduced net worth below the upper eligibility limit. If so, that may delay (but not necessarily prohibit) the start of VA pension benefit payments.

It may seem like a lot but……..

The requirements to qualify for benefits may seem like a lot, but help is available. Seniors in Lee County can receive support through Lee County Human & Veteran Services. They have local resources for veterans including support in applying for the Aide & Attendance program.

Additional support is also available.

Those who need additional support may contact a service called Vet Assist.  Applying for and qualifying for Aid and Attendance, a pension program from the Department of Veterans Affairs, (VA)  can be confusing and time-consuming for many. Vet Assist helps beneficiaries remain in VA compliance to maintain the Aid and Attendance benefit.

Per their website, Vet Assist has successfully helped more than 17,000 veterans and surviving spouses access quality home care and a VA Pension with Aid and Attendance to pay for that care.

Abby Services is a local partner with Vet Assist. We are happy to provide potentially eligible seniors with information and the support they need to remain safe and independent in their homes with the support of a private In-Home Caregiver.

Just Call 239-590-0861 to learn how Abby Services can help seniors in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and the surrounding area remain safe and in their homes.