Aid and Attendance is a benefit available to veterans, their spouses, or widows.  This benefit is available to help offset some of the cost of nursing homes, assisted living communities, personal care homes or homecare expenses.

Qualifications (these are only approximates)

You or your spouse was a veteran during war time, including those who served state side.

• Served at least 90 days of active service with one of those days being during war time.

Eligible dates are:

• 4/21/1898-7/15/1903
• 5/9/1916-11/11/1918
• 12/07/1941-12/31/1946
• 6/27/1950-1/31/1955
• 8/5/1964-5/7/1975
• 8/20/1990-present

• Received anything better than a dishonorable discharge

• The spouse must not have divorced the veteran.

• Must need some assistance with at least two adl’s.  This assistance does not mean that they require complete physical assistance, ie: cuing with dressing, reminders to bathe, med monitoring, needs supervision, etc.

• Applicants must be receiving the assistance, benefits can be retroactive.

• There are some financial qualifications for those applying.  HOWEVER, it is based on an adjusted income NOT the gross income.   To figure the adjusted income, medical expenses, insurance premiums, meds and even the cost of the community where they are residing is taken into consideration.  Assets not included are the applicant’s home, pensions, small life ins. policies, prepaid funeral expenses and annuities in payout status.

You may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by contacting the Pension Management Center (PMC) that serves your state. You may also visit your local regional benefit office to file your request. You can locate your local regional benefit office using the VA Facility Locator, or you can  CONTACT US to connect with a VA Accredited Claims Agent

You should include copies of any evidence, preferably a report from an attending physician validating the need for Aid and Attendance or Housebound type care.

• The report should be in sufficient detail to determine whether there is disease or injury producing physical or mental impairment, loss of coordination, or conditions affecting the ability to dress and undress, to feed oneself, to attend to sanitary needs and to keep oneself ordinarily clean and presentable.
• Whether the claim is for Aid and Attendance or Housebound, the report should indicate how well the applicant gets around, whether the applicant goes and what he or she is able to do during a typical day. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether the claimant is confined to the home or immediate premises.