VA Pension Benefit for Assisted Living

The cost of Assisted Living can be a tremendous burden on individuals and their families. For those who have served in the military, the VA can provide some much needed releif through their Pension and Surviors Pension program. The specific benefit for In home care and Assisted Living is called the Aid & Attendance benift.

According to the VA website, "The Aid & Attendance (A&A) monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount if you meet one of the following conditions:

You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environmentYou are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatmentYou are a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacityYour eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less."

"Generally, a Veteran must have at least 90 days of active duty service, with at least one day during a wartime period to qualify for a VA Pension. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), with at least one day during a wartime period.

In addition to meeting minimum service requirements, the Veteran must be:

Age 65 or older, ORTotally and permanently disabled, ORA patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, ORReceiving Social Security Disability Insurance, ORReceiving Supplemental Security Income"

For more information, please visit the VA pension benefit website at: http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/#7


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