Hello I was made aware of A&A through some miracle for Dad who was WW2 vet due to the fact that I simply called the VAoffice in Philadelphia just to see if he could get some pension...at that time even 100 dollars would help...miraculously i was told to apply for A&A for this 95 yr old vet who was being looked after by my Brother who passed before the Dad...4 mos. when i was informed by the Phil office
about A&A...did not know about it because brother was taking care of him in his home...so actually I did not go to an elder law attorney.....should have, for maximum benefits..also family doctor writes a report on Dads condition....as well as Medical Records. Brother had the discharge papers in the chest here at the house...now I know its your Mother that needs assistance as opposed to the Vet. that seems to be a bit harder....but I have read where the wife can get compensation...due to my not getting a lawyer and not reading up on the website about different levels of ADLs I got 900 dollars for Dad at 95 ,which was a godsend as we did not even know???i must have read something on the internet at some point...but dad lived for three yrs and was able to get 37,000 plus his social,and my brother was the family caretaker ...this was extremely helpful to this working class family..............Dad was blind,needed toileting,had a consussion,and could have gotten the highest grade level three of compensation but I did this on my own thru the mail as I had his DC papers and medical records showing the consussion.....so go to the local chapter of the VA and get this going as soon as you can....it gets tricky with wives and i believe there can be no divorce but she would be a widow of a vet............this is on the internet on the VA sight....about compensation for seniors...................good luck!
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I have just applied for Aid and Attendance for my mother. Looks like she will be getting it to help with assisted living. Since they do not factor in her house as part of her assets..what do we do with her house . Right now it’s just sitting empty while she’s in assisted living as she will not be going back to live there. Can’t sell it because it’s then considered an asset (cash) which would take her over the asset limit. Do we just let it sit empty until she passes away. Could we rent it? Anyone have experience with this . Thanks!!
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I am a twice wartime Veteran, my wife has dementia. I take care of her daily needs. Medicine , trips to Dr. and hospitals . I am a D.A.V.
is there no help for this poor widows son.
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How do you know what VA jurisdiction you live in?
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I am legal caretaker of a veteran who received aid and attendance and he will not pay me he owes 3 months how do I force him to pay the money owed to me?
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Do I have to go through an agency to hire a caregiver, or can the benefit be paid for a family member/friend to be hired as a caregiver?
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I have been taking care of my mother, a 93yr old vet widow for 7+yrs. As she has gotten older and weaker, I have had to lower my work hours. Is she entitled to Aid and Attendance, so I can stay full time with her?
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My father-in-law already qualified and receives A&A benefits because I do care for him. However, his fiduciary will not pay me. Who am I supposed to turn to because his field rep hasn't returned our calls for at least 6 months now
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my stepfather is receiving the aid and dependant and not giving it to me to help with her care. My mom stays with me and has been for two years with alzheimers, he has no contact since I got the aide and dependent care started. how do I get it stopped and since Im a retired veteran get it on my behalf for her
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Is there a provision for marriage of 34 yrs entitle divorced spouse to any type of help when they are in a financial and healthcare need? Spouse has not remarried.
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Does anybody know how the VA handles military records that were burned in a fire in St. Louis? I tried to get my Dad's records a number of years ago only to find out there aren't any because of the fire.
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How do I find a lawyer that can help with this process. My father served in Vietnam and the Korean wars.. As a result he has been award a 100% service connected disability. Now he is unable to easily dress, bath or care for himself without falling. My mother applied for additional funding to assist with his care but was turned down. Now she is the sole caregiver and it is wearing her down.
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gladimhere- it never hurts to check, but my grandmother (who currently requires 24-hour in-home care) wasn't eligible because my grandfather didn't serve at least one day during war time. He served a full 4-year tour, then another 2-years and 10-months. He was discharged honorably in exchange for his silence after he and an high-level officer's wife were discovered having a 'more than friends' relationship! He was discharged 33 days before Pearl Harbor, so he would have qualified if he had been able to say in for 35 more days or so. But then again, if he had served once we entered WW2, who's to say that my mom or I would ever have been born (if he had died).
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Better check this out but I have a hunch the peace time service will keep us out.
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For anyone needing more info or help filing for Aid & Attendance, I highly recommend veteranaid.org. Lots of good info and some amazing folks who are willing to help navigate filing for this benefit (free of charge)!
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what about wives of vets - is there assistance available for them as well?
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I hate to tell you this, but I went to the Veterans Service Center and applied with the help of volunteers there. We got a reply within two weeks and got Aid and Attendance money in two months. If you go to the nearest Veterans Service Center and ask for assistance in filing the paperwork it might go a lot faster. My volunteer did say that ours was the quickest reply he had ever seen. But, then my Mom is 95. So, circumstances and age may be determining factors. Also, completeness of information when filing the forms is of the utmost importance! I have found that is true in many situations. Just FYI. I hope you will find better help. I am so grateful to our fellow, John. He was so good to us! The volunteers are fellow vets, too.
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Thank you all for comments. Our situation seems to deepen with aging, so BEFORE the need arises, I'll start the paper work ...good to hv info from others.
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This is a follow up to my comments last year. In October of 2010 they finally approved my father's benefits. We received two months of the 10 months of benefits we were owed. Then in January of 2011 we had to reapply and a rep of the VA had to come and meet with us. We were told then that the benefits would continue and we would receive the 10 months of back pay. My dear Dad passed away on February 28th 2011. Within a week after I notified them of his death they took back the February payment stating my Dad had to be alive the whole month of February and since he died the last day of the month he was not entitled to his benefits. We have also been told that we will not receive his back pay. I paid out of pocket for care for my Dad while I worked, over $9000 in the 10 month period, and I will never get that back. I would never do anything different because I loved and adored my Dad, but I will never forgive what the VA put us through and how they made my Dad's last months very stressful. I contacted our Congresswoman, our Senator, our city's mayor, and even wrote the President, and no one could do a thing. Next we are going to the media. It now is a matter of principal and I also am positive they are doing the same to other elderly vets. They should be ashamed.
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My mom was killed by a drug called Zyprexa in August before I had a chance to apply. I miss her so much.
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i applied in dec 28 2009 for my dad he was 100% disabled in aug i called they told me he did everything that they ask now we have to wait . then my dad passed aug 24 2011 i called and they said they had to put a hold on paperwork and they sent my a big orange envolpe full of forms. i called today and ask for my back pay they said it will be 6 more months. what do i do get a lawyer???? 3 years is to long my dad served 26 years air forse they owe me 37,500 getting really pissed
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Karen keep on them call weekly if you have to. Also if you already have applied then call them and have them expedite your claim espically since your mom is 90 years old thats what I did with them with mom... you have to keep on them yes they are back locked but .. if you keep on it they will eventually get to it....
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Are you saying that my veteran brother, who CHOOSES to be homeless, can waltz right into the new veteran's facility in our town, show his discharge form, and receive housing and health benefits, including surgery and post surgery care, after I housed him and cared for him for a year prior to his applying for admittance into the facility, all the while caring for our 90 year-old veteran mother, as I've done for the past 16 years (I'm talking hospital orderly duties and more), and it will take an act of Congress to receive resources and compensation? Oh, and did I mention that my brother also received a free cell phone (free as in SOMEBODY'S paying for it, duh) while I continue to rely on my old dinosaur of a cell phone? I plan to pursue this issue 'til the "cows come home." Karen T.
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Donna if you haven't heard from them Yet... or such I am still waiting they said they have reached a decision on my moms we are just waiting. They were taking forever on her claim when I was told by the VA around here ... to tell them her age and ask very politely to expedite her claim as my mom is 80 something years old. They should be expediting yours ... hopefully you heard back...
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We applied for this, for my mom who has dementia and lives in assisted care. It took almost a full year, but finally came through and she is getting an additional $250 a month. At least 3 times, I was asked to send additional info, or was told I hadn't sent something (that I HAD sent) so I imagine that the application was passed around all over the place. We did have help filling out the initial paperwork. Keep copies of everything!
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I applied for these benefits for my 87 year old father who served in WWII. I submitted the paperwork on January 21,2010 and as of today
August 29, 2010, they have not even looked at the claim. I call twice a month and they tell me they are overwhelmed. I have been taking care of my Dad for two years now, I am self supporting and we have used all his savings for caretakers over the past 9 months so I could continue to work and keep a roof over our heads. So If you are looking for help from the VA be prepared to wait over a year before you even get an answer. It is a shame that the last Vets from WWII are treated in this way, they can't even leave this world with a little bit of dignity and get the help they deserve.
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SMRT4alfb, how are you doing this? My mom has been caring for my dad, who is the PEACE time veteran, and now he is becoming way too much to handle. He can't get up by himself, wets himself constantly and keeps my mom up all night long. He has Parkinson's and now my mom's health is beginning to fail. I don't know how you are doing it and I don't know how I am going to do all this. I work full time and need to or I will begin to lose my own assets that I will need for retirement myself. I also have a 10 year old that still needs to have a childhood. We feel for you and if I come up with anything to share with you, I will.
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yes the time frame is in effect.....if they served during the peace time and not actually during any war time....they will not receive 100 % beneifits and these programs do not apply....I am an only child of both parents unable to take care of themselves and I get no help except for medicare benefits with Rx. The VA does not help because my dad served in the time frame you mentioned which is what they call the PEACE time.....missed war time by one day. The gov't does not bend on this either..
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If I am not mistaken, to be eligible for this benefit, you had to serve during specific time frames. I looked into this for my father with Parkinson's and since he served between the Korean War and the Vietnam War, he was not eligible. There was a small window, and he only served in that window. Any other comments on this???
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I tried to get this for my mother when I was taking care of her. Her first husband died in World War II and she is on DIC and ChampVA. They told me my mom had to be "housebound". She did need assistance with dressing and bathing but not toileting and walking around with her walker. Also she had a significant other (boyfriend) that she insisted on going to see every day in another facility. However, now her condition is worse and she is in a nursing home, and her boyfriend passed away. When she went into the nursing home, the social worker told me that part of this "aid and attendance" benefit provides $100 a month that the nursing home and medicaid cannot touch and would be her personal spending money. She has re-applied for this, I do not know whether she will qualify or not yet, as she is still pretty independent. There is a lot of paperwork involved with this and you have to provide evidence, etc., but it is worth it. Thank goodness mom had saved all the paperwork and forms that she got when her husband died in World War II so that she could apply for the ChampVA and DIC and Aid and Attendance. She did have to go to a lawyer to get the ChampVA and DIC, I hope we will not have to spend money on a lawyer to get the Aid and Attendance benefit.
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