Care Connect Direct CEO Christina Drumm-Boyd was recently interviewed by Forbes Health about helping Veterans and their families increase their income through VA Benefits in order to help with assisted living costs. The reporter did an excellent job showing families what’s available to them and where to get help. If you have any questions about a loved ones VA benefits, please call her at (757) 271-4270.
Assisted Living For Veterans: VA Benefits
By Stephanie Watson, Forbes Health – June 2023
More than 18 million veterans are 65 or older, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) survey data from 2019, which says surveyed veterans served in wars ranging from World War II to the Korean War, Vietnam and the Gulf War.
As veterans age, they may need help with daily activities of living (ADLs), such as getting dressed, bathing, using the toilet or walking. Veterans may also have injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sustained during their service, which can add stress or challenges to the process of aging.
Assisted living provides physical and mental health assistance for older adults in need of varied levels of care. However, these services can come at a hefty price. The average cost of care in an assisted living facility in the U.S. is nearly $52,000 a year, according to the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). To alleviate the burden on veterans and their loved ones, the VA offers benefits to help make long-term care more affordable and accessible.
What Are Veterans Benefits?
Veterans benefits are a group of programs available through the VA that offer assistance to active-duty service members, veterans and their families. These benefits include:
- Disability compensation for vets who were injured or became ill during their service
- Monthly pension payments to veterans and families of veterans in need of financial assistance
- Education and job training
- Health care through the Veterans Health Administration
- Home loans and insurance
To be eligible for these benefits, a veteran must:
- Be actively serving or have served in active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard. (National Guard and Reserve members may also qualify if they were called to active duty and served the requested amount of time.)
- Meet the period of active duty service requirement for that benefit
- Received an honorable discharge
Service members, veterans and their families can learn about and access VA benefits by:
- Applying online with eBenefits
- Working with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative
- Visiting a regional VA office
- Filling out an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits form and sending it to the Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center
VA benefits are available throughout the U.S., but the number of service providers can vary depending on a veteran’s location. “A lot of our rural areas, unfortunately, are underserved,” says Christina Drumm-Boyd, a geriatric case manager and owner and president of Care Connect of Hampton Roads in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Assisted Living Facilities for Veterans
Assisted living facilities provide services for people who can no longer live independently but are not in need of nursing home care. These facilities offer veterans an apartment or room and typically provide access to 24/7 care and help with ADLs. Assisted living facilities also offer meals, laundry and housekeeping services and social activities.
The VA offers a variety of care services to veterans, including assisted living. Medical care, physical therapy, assistance with ADLs and pain management are available as well with some financial coverage by the VA. Additional methods of care include:
- At-home care provides caregivers, who offer support with ADLs, for veterans able to stay in their own homes.
- Medical foster homes provide a caregiver for a small group of older adults, including veterans.
- Nursing homes offer 24/7 nursing supervision, medical care and help with ADLs to veterans who require a higher level of care.
- State veterans homes are run by state governments and provide nursing and adult day care services.
- Hospice services are available for veterans with a terminal condition who are expected to live less than six months.
How to Pay For Veterans’ Senior Living
The VA won’t pay for room and board at an assisted living facility. However, it may cover costs for services like nursing and medical care, physical therapy and help with ADLs at an assisted living facility for sick or disabled veterans. If the assisted living facility is contracted with the VA, the VA may pay the facility directly.
The VA offers two programs to help veterans cover the costs of long-term care:
Veterans Pension is a program that provides monthly payments to wartime veterans who meet certain age, income and disability criteria. “It’s basically an old-age pension that’s been around since the 1950s,” says Drumm-Boyd. Although the veterans pension is not specifically designed to cover assisted living, it can be used for that purpose, she adds.
Aid and Attendance is a benefit that provides monthly payments, in addition to the veterans pension, for qualified veterans and their partners who need help with ADLs.
Medicaid offers qualifying low-income veterans a way to pay for costs associated with assisted living. These added funds from Medicaid can help improve a veteran’s living situation, says Dustin Baker, franchise owner of Assisted Living Locators in East Valley Phoenix, Arizona, and a former combat medic in the U.S. Army. “Usually, Medicaid only gets you a shared room, then you have the funds to pay for a private room if you use the VA benefits on top of it,” he says.
Additional Care Options for Veterans
The VA offers a variety of long-term care services for veterans at home or in a long-term care facility. These services include:
- 24/7 nursing and medical care (offered in several settings, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and private homes)
- Physical therapy
- Assistance with ADLs, including bathing, dressing and making meals
- Help with pain management
- Respite support for caregivers
- Physical, occupational and speech therapies
- Hospice care (for eligible veterans)
Who Is Eligible for Veteran Benefits?
Eligibility for long-term care benefits varies by program. In general, veterans may be able to use VA services if they’re signed up for VA health care and the VA determines they need a specific service to help with their ongoing treatment and personal care, says Daniel Schoeps, director of Purchased Long-Term Services and Support at the VA. Additionally, the required service or space in the care setting must be available near their location.
To qualify for a Veterans Pension, veterans must meet specific eligibility requirements, some of which include:
- Being at least 65 years old.
- Serving at least 90 days on active duty, with at least one day during wartime (although seeing combat isn’t mandatory).
- Receiving an honorable discharge.
- Not having more than $150,538 (as of 2023) in income and assets, including a spouse’s income and any income received by dependents.
A full list of eligibility requirements and details surrounding certain qualifications is available on the VA website.
Once a veteran qualifies for a pension, they may also qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits for further assistance with daily living.
How to Enroll in Veteran Benefits
To access VA benefits and learn more about benefits a veteran may be eligible for, contact your VA social worker or call the toll-free VA hotline: 877-222-8387. Veterans may also enroll on the VA website; however, navigating the website can be complicated due to its many layers, says Drumm-Boyd.
Instead, Drumm-Boyd recommends seeking assistance from an accredited VSO representative who can help a veteran understand their benefits and file claims. VSO representatives, agents and attorneys are available through the VA’s Office of General Counsel database or at your nearest VA Regional Benefit Office. You can also search for a geriatric case manager in your area.
More importantly, Drumm-Boyd urges veterans and their families to begin investigating options and planning for assisted living early, rather than waiting for a medical crisis to arise. “The process can be extremely frustrating,” she says. “What I’ve found over the last 18 years is we have so many veterans who just give up. They assume they’re not qualifying, when there is assistance that is available to them.”
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