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ltalking2 Asked October 2020

VA plans to terminate my mother's benefit. Tried calling to get help and they won't talk to me. Don't know what to do, we need that benefit.

They did send me an "Authorization to Disclose Personal Information to a Third Party" form to complete. Requires mother's signature. Can't get in to nursing home due to CoVid and besides she is in the late stages of dementia. Signing her name, very unlikely. Even applying an "x" probably not going to happen. I am at wits end trying to figure out what I have to do to prevent this benefit from being stopped.


Can anyone advise me how to proceed? VA has given me a 11/1/20 deadline.

JohnnyJ Oct 2020
In Minnesota, our county has a Veteran's Benefits representative that gives me advice and explains things. She sent me the forms I needed when applying for a friend of mine in Memory Care as his POA. I filled them out and sent them back to her and she gets them to the Veteran's Administration. I have been told it is a long process--like 4-6 months or more--to secure these. I know there is more to do ahead--like showing where all his assets have gone for his care and none given away to anyone else. And I have to be named as his representative by them since they don't recognize POA status. I have been making sure all his outgoing money is in regard to a bill, for which there are copies--and all incoming money has gone to his bank account--retirement checks, asset sales, condo sale, etc.

NeedHelpWithMom Oct 2020
Did they give a specific reason why? Strange situation because when I was going to get benefits for my mom through VA, I was told that the benefits were given for her lifetime.

Keep reaching out until you find an answer. Good luck.

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lealonnie1 Oct 2020
Who's the Federal Fiduciary for your mother's VA benefits? That person would be the one to speak to.

You can drop off a form at the SNF and ask the DON to have her sign it to the best of her ability. You don't have to go inside yourself to have such a thing accomplished.

BarbBrooklyn Oct 2020
Is the Nursing Home being paid through the V.A.?

If so, call the Social Worker at the NH and fax her/him the form. If their getting paid is dependent upon this form, they will figure out how to get it done.

AlvaDeer Oct 2020
Does your mother have a designated POA? Does she have a guardian to act for her now she is in the stages of dementia where she cannot act for herself?
Have you been to the VA website to find out how to be her designated payee or whatever the VA has that is the equivalent to being representative payee before Social Security.
I have no idea how you would proceed here other than to get a person from the VA to tell you what you need to do as the daughter of a mother who is no longer competent. I hope others have dealings with the VA. I hope their website is as good as the Social Security which describes in detail how to become representative payee. I think your Mom is going to need to have someone who can act in her stead, but it seems you do not yet have any legal means of doing that?

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