Today veterans across the country receive different benefits through the Veteran’s Administration (VA). What they may not know is that senior veterans, those who require home health services, house or bedbound individuals, veterans residing in an assisted living environments, and veterans with blindness may also be entitled to an added financial benefit to pay for their necessary care and services. These additional Aid and Attendance benefits can be beneficial to veterans and their family members who need support in paying for their care services.
Aid & Attendance Benefits
The Aid & Attendance (A&A) benefit us an additional monthly pension which is available to qualifying veterans which can be used to help pay for services which they require. To qualify for this benefit, the veteran must also be eligible to receive a VA pension benefit. The A & A benefit is offered to those veterans 65 or older, or individuals under 65, those who are considered disabled and their surviving spouse provided they meet one of the following requirements:
- The individual needs the assistance of another person to perform daily personal living tasks such as bathing, feeding and dressing, and toileting;
- The individual is bedbound due to their disability or as part of the treatment for their disability;
- The individual is living in an assisted living home due to their physical or mental incapacity; or
- The individual has extremely impaired eyesight.
A benefit may also be available to someone who is housebound which means they must remain in their home most of the time because of their disability. However, the recipient cannot receive an A & A benefit and housebound benefit at the same time. Additionally, a veteran receiving VA pension disability pay cannot receive this pension and their VA disability pension simultaneously but can opt for the higher benefit payment amount.
When a service member requires additional care, it can be overwhelming to try and understand the available VA compensation and programs which may be of assistance. It is crucial that you consult with an experienced Veteran law attorney to get information which will enable you to understand and access the benefits you and your family deserve.
We understand veteran benefits and pensions and can assist you in making informed decisions. Both Glenn Matecun and Monika Burrell are Accredited Attorneys by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. We also have a Preliminary Qualification Worksheet to determine whether you or a loved one may qualify for Veterans benefits. Please contact us online or by phone if you would like our free Preliminary Qualification Worksheet, or if we may be of other assistance.