Sometimes help is available. We just don’t know where it is or how to access it. Many veterans may not have heard of Aid & Attendance benefits, even though they desperately need those benefits. We can help you find out if you are eligible for Aid & Attendance benefits.
Aid & Attendance: Help for Veterans
This benefit, which is available to veterans and their survivors, is designed to help people who need “aid and attendance” with their daily activities. Aid & Attendance recipients receive an additional monthly benefit, over and above their pension.
Aid & Attendance recipients may not receive Housebound benefits, which are provided to veterans who cannot leave their homes because of a permanent disability.
For example, Josie noticed her father and mother were having more trouble taking care of themselves. Their clothes were unkempt, they had difficulty getting in and out of the bathtub. There was often no food in the refrigerator when Josie checked. Josie’s father received veteran’s benefits, including a monthly pension. Josie contacted the local VA office to see if help was available. She learned her father needed to meet certain requirements before receiving Aid & Attendance or Housebound benefits.
Aid & Attendance: Eligibility Guidelines
Veterans must meet at least one of the following requirements to be eligible for Aid & Attendance benefits:
- Veteran needs another person to help with daily activities such as “bathing, feeding, dressing, attending the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment.”
- Veteran’s disability or disabilities require the veteran to remain in bed. Bedrest prescribed for treatment or convalescence does not apply here.
- Veteran is a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity.
- Veteran’s eyesight is very limited.
Josie’s father had demonstrated an inability to take care of his daily living activities. He was not bedrest or a nursing home resident. His eyesight was failing. Josie’s father might be eligible for Aid & Attendance. First, he has to apply.
Applying for Aid & Attendance Benefits Is Complicated
The attorneys at Miller Estate and Elder Law help many clients apply for Aid & Attendance benefits, as well as other government benefits like Medicaid. For a free consultation, contact us at 256-251-2137 or use our convenient Contact Form. Although we’re located in Anniston and Birmingham, we also help clients in Gadsden, Hoover, Talladega, Vestavia Hills, and surrounding areas.
