What Are the VA Benefits for Assisted Living?
It’s understandable that a nation would want to look after the veterans of its armed forces. After all, veterans are those who sign up to potentially risk their lives for the nation’s peace.
The purpose of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (or the VA) is to ensure those who served are taken care of, especially due to health concerns that might have been caused by or exacerbated by their service.
Did you know that the VA not only offers health benefits but also benefits for later-life care? In this article, we’ll look at the VA benefits for assisted living, who can qualify, and how the VA can help elderly veterans in their golden years.
Who Qualifies for VA Benefits?
In order to be eligible for all VA benefits (including assisted living), you need to meet a certain set of requirements:
- You must have served in the active military, navy, or air force.
- You must have been honorably discharged.
- You must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which you were called to active duty—unless you were discharged for “hardship” or for a disability that was caused or made worse by your service.
If you were a member of the Reserves or National Guard, you qualify for VA benefits only if you were called to active duty by a federal order and completed your service.
Spouses and dependent children of veterans can be eligible for other benefits, such as education assistance or health insurance.
What Are the VA Benefits for Assisted Living?
Veterans may have additional health concerns that members of the general public are less likely to have, which can be exacerbated as they age. It makes sense that the VA would offer benefits to help older veterans afford care. To that end, the VA offers a suite of assisted living benefits for elderly veterans.
While the VA will not pay for the rent of an apartment in an assisted living community, it will help pay for many other things that the veteran would otherwise need to pay for out of their own pocket. This will make it easier for a veteran or their surviving spouse to afford help with things like:
- Daily activities, like getting dressed or bathing
- Taking medications
- Meal preparation
- Safe recreational activities
This assistance can be a great relief to caregivers, who often don’t have the time or resources to give their elderly veteran loved one the attention and care they need.
Since these services are not available at every assisted living community in the country, take a thorough look at what each community offers. If you’re an older veteran or their loved one looking for an assisted living home, make sure that wherever you’re looking is qualified to receive financial assistance through VA benefits.
For instance, Solterra accepts VA benefits as part of our financial assistance packages, making it easier for veterans or their surviving spouses to pay for the care they need in their golden years. If you want to learn more about VA benefits for assisted living, contact Solterra today.