In requirement C it said you have to 100 percent disabililed, but cannot be sevice related? How can that happen/

Re : Daughterin law and Sharierose:

There are methods to calculate allowable income, and assets can be dealt with, The Va cannot gibe you financial advice, nor will they as a rule seperate 'adjusted income' from 'income' ;on a phone conversation for sure.

I think this is very helpful. There are some questions on how income is calculated.
I would be afraid that some areas would decide who qualifies by who you are.
That happens I think in certain areas. Thanks for the info.

My father assets are higher than the amount mentioned. He is a world war II vet, how do we reduce his assets so he can apply for aid and attendance?

We applied for this for my mother who is a surviving spouse of a wartime veteran. We submitted all the paperwork in the beginning of November. We are still waiting on approval. We got a letter saying they are back logged and not to contact them. How long does this generally take?

Aid & Attendance keep us at poverty level. We get $944 in Social Security and 1,142.49 in Aid & Attendance. While Affordabe Care doesn't count the Aid and Attendance every other medical program does, so I don't qualify for any medcial assistance. My husband is in a nursing home 37 miles away and the VA reibusements don't cover visits without a medical connection.

Sweetie:
The fact that a Va social worker told you it is not being funded not being funded ie a perfect example of the misinformation you are getting from 'most of those people'

Joannes: First you must be sure this advisor you spreak of knows about and has an avenue to deal with VA Aid & attendance

joannes :

Unfortunately many folks get misdirected when relying on VA.
Once someone applies for Medicaid, the Va is not going to process a claim.
Additionally Assrts inckuding a house need to factored in to Both VA and MEDICAID planning. and if there is a survinig spouse, even more consideraton.

Most of the folks at those VA centers are not trained on the benefit, only what goes on any given line, cannot provide financial advice. While therehas beebn an shameful UNEXCUSABLE backlog, There is a FDC (Fully Developed Claim) process that really makes a difference IF all required materials are submitted at onset, regardless of veteran or surviving spouse .
There is a major understanding of the hoops and nuances. It sounds as if your elder care firm may have not been fully aware.... based on your comments

should I pursue this with my elder care financial advisor? My Dad and I are in Arizona. He finally got qualified for Medicaid as of December 1st....but over the past year, since applying first for VA, we've spent between $50,000 and $75000 of his money on private memory care unit care. It would surely be nice to get what they paid out back paid to them, in order to continue caring for my Mom. The VA advisor said there was such a back load of people needing care, that they would never get to him while he was alive, and they are the ones who told us to go for Medicaid first while we were waiting. I don't understand if I should push all this with our senator's office or just forget it all.

Nancy, I do believe that a LOT of people care. I've worked for the VA as an RN and know that there is a great love for our veterans among most people. What angers me is the political machines....on all sides...that make decisions based on reelections instead of what's right for the people or listening to the people who provide the money....and yet do nothing about the horrible waste in most parts of the government. If the waste were removed, there WOULD be money to care for our elderly veterans. My Dad had NO service related injuries, so never received any benefits after the war except for using the GI Bill to buy his first house. He never asked for more or fought for more either. AND, with this Aid and Attendance, most do not even know it's a benefit because the government seems to 'keep it hidden' and only if a VA eligibility worker or someone in the private sector who knows the laws, tells you, you have no idea it is there. YET...let any illegal or downtrodden person go into a gov't office, and the social workers there will sign them up for EVERYTHING imaginable that they could be 'entitled' to...whether or not they are asking for it or really need it! I am sorry, but our VETS are the ones who deserve 'everything they could be entitled to' offered to them straight out....and not hidden away....and NOT DEFUNDED at the ends of their lives. The money needs to be moved around for them. Have you asked for help from your congress person or senator's office? Sometimes that helps speed things up. I am thinking about that myself for my Dad.

It is disgusting!!!! The government doesn't care. I have been waiting for over a year for benefits for my dad who is 95. We are a the point where he is very close to the end. I need another person to help care for him. I have no words to explain my disappointment in our government

I have asked about this Aid for Vets. The social worker from the VA told me that there is a huge waiting list for this help, and that it is not being funded at this time.

Our eldercare law firm applied for VA benefits for my Dad, who is almost 92, a WWII vet with dementia and now in a care facility. VA pretty much told us to forget him ever getting any payment from them, even though he is qualified, because he will not survive the wait time, due to all the soldiers coming back from the Middle East with all their injuries and help needed. We were advised to go apply for Medicaid, which we've done, and after 6 months and the 'spend down' etc, he has finally qualified. So, is there any REAL hope that he will get covered or that there will be any assistance for my mother when she needs it? It's very depressing to spend all this time on submitting paperwork and more paperwork and then get told he will likely die before he gets any help at all or any of the back pay. Then we're told Mom will likely not get anything either because spouses aide will get approved AFTER current military and their needs. Makes one want to say a different kind of 'thank you' to the federal gov't who made promises to veterans!

I'm POA, for elderly friend,,70,percent service related, disabled, 87,, had stroke, in n out of nursing home,, been in my home,, getting worse,, needs more care,, have a lady who helps 3 days aweek, do they pay for the care,, also I have been taking time from work to care and bring to appt,,, ,at v.a. Are we able to get paid, for this,,I have been paying lady, out of his personal, money,, also gas,,lunch, whatever he needs to help him,, is that the right way of doing it,, or does the VA,, have any help, he does not want home care from VA, service would like the private,,?

MY FATHER LIVES AT THE V.A WITH ALZHIEMERS HE IS TOTAL CARE MY MOM GOES THERE EVERY NITE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM BECAUSE DUE TO THEM NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF IT HES BEEN IN AND OUT THE HOSPITAL TO ME AND MY IT SEEMS AS IF THEY DNT CARE THEY LEAVE IN A CORNER BY A WINDO WHERE ITS COLD AND NO BLANKET ITS HEARBREAKING IM A CNA AND WE WANT HIM TO BE AT HOME IS THIS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY SAID WE CAN NOT ! DAUGHTER OF A VET JEN

Can you please tell me how or were to apply for the Pension, my Mom is 90 years now with dementia, and my father has past but was a 20 year vet. I have been unemployed for the past year and moved her in with me at my home about 3 months ago as I feared for her to be on her own any longer. I have now gone through my savings subsidizing my unemployment and can no longer stay home and must find employment to make the bills including mortgage. I am obviously behind the eight ball at this late start date but need to get the process started. Hoping I can subsidize with paying for in home care until the process is through.

My question is?..if my mother (surviving spouse) is on aids and attendance now for 1 year and we are having help at home, and now we need to move her to a nursing home facility in NC, will the state look back 5 years before they will cover her care in the nursing home. I ask because she gifted some money 4 years ago so we would have to come up with some money for the penalty months if they look back the 5 years. I was told that BECAUSE she is in the aids and attendance program, that when we move her to a nursing home they will not look back like they would if she had NOT been in the A&A program. thanks

excellent ARTICLE. HOW DO I GO ABOUT COMPLETING FORMS FOR MY FATH IN LAW who is a 96 year old world war II veteran???

I believe you still can......the benefits are still theirs no matter what. I actually have to call my local Va Monday and I will ask him.........you can check their web site, but sometimes the answers you get on there are vague ! If you don't here back from me, just shoot me a line to remind me.

I had before commented that my mom was a veteran´s widow, and Harry 1928 said that she is entitled, but my problem is we live in Mexico City, is there any way to apply from Mexico? pls advice

Yes, apply she is entitled to 1400.00 give or take a few in aid and attendance benefits in addition apply for medicaid, they also offer a home waiver program if you are keeping her at home in addition, depending on what state you live in, applying is easier than you think,,,and no they do not take your mom's home regardless of what others may tell you1

I am taking care of my mom who is a veterans widow, do we apply for this program, she is totally dependent of me

my parents have both recently been admitted to a nursing home/my father is a vet and has been receiving aid and attendance .they receive app 5690.00 per month including ss,pension.aid and attendance. that will almost cover my mother in nursing home, but do not have $ for my dad. no assests at all. i have applied for medicaid but am wondering if it will even be considered. what other options do i have?

Wayneweathersis ... Yes, you can move her into your home and continue to collect the pension to cover the costs of her care.

Your best best is contacting a trusted attorney to walk you through placing all assets in an "irrevocable trust". You should be receiving maximum benefits if your brother is in an "Assisted Living" community. What state are you located in?

I finally had to put my brother into an "assisted living" home and applied for assistance from the VA. After finally getting all the paper work together they say it will take from 4 to 6 months to start, however, it is retroactive. Before that I was able to get him home nursing and someone to come and bathe him twice a week. After reading up on VA benefits I realize now he would have been eligible for more. I'm trying to find out if Medicaid will take his home if he has to go into a "nursing home". He quick deeded it to me 2 years ago but understand the time period is 5 years. Also was told if I was living in the house they would not take it from him. Anybody know anything about this?

My husband is 88 years old and his been receiving aid and attentance of $937.00 per month. As of July 4th/2012 he had a stroke and now is in Hospice Care and now Monday will be going to a nursing home. Will continue receiving his aid and attentance even if he is in a Nursing Home?

My mother is currently living in Georgia in an assisted facility.
We have been financially drained.
She has finally been approved and receiving VA Aid and Attendace.
Which has reduced our payments to half of what we were paying.
But still no relief finacially.
Even with the 3 of us siblings it is still costing each of us 365.00 a month.
When she becomes totally unable to care for herself she will be moved to another part of the facility and the cost will be outrageous.
My question is if we move her to Florida into our home and hire home care will she loose the VA Aid and Attendance?

where can I find the necessary paperwork?

debbya - do you have power of attorney and therefore able to make decisions for your dad? VA doctors can help, but if your dad has not been determined unable to make decisions for himself, he will still make the decisions.