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Dad has dementia - Alzheimer's served in serv. but not wartime is he covered by any military benefits hospital or home care.

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Yes he most likely is. The best way to find out is to fill out an application for health benefits: http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/

There are two agencies under the VA - the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA) and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). The former handles health benefits, the latter, cash benefits.

Though he would have to have served during wartime for cash benefits (Pension, but not necessarily Compensation), he does not have to have served during wartime for health benefits.

Once he is in the system ask the VA primary care physician to enroll him in Geriatric Extended Care program which will provide home visits, adult day care, durable medical equipment and incontinence supplies not covered by Medicare.
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The answer is a firm "maybe." The VA limits healthcare benefits based on two factors. Priority goes to those veterans who have service connected disabilities having gone through the disability compensation process. For instance, if a veteran hurt his back or knee while in the service, irregardless of combat, and he can show that through his service medical records, then after going through the disability application process, that would be a service connected disability which the VA would treat for free. For those veterans who have a combined service connected disability rating of 50% or greater, the VA provides healthcare for every condition or disease for free, even those which are not service connected. For those veterans who do not have a service connected disability, there is a financial limitation based on last year's income and current assets. Finally, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have or had the opportunity to enroll and receive healthcare for something like five years after discharge, but that situation is not very likely to apply to your situation.

Check out the VA's benefits handbook for a full description:
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/benefits_chap01.asp

This page lists priority groups. It is very difficult for Group 8 veterans to be enrolled right now due to federal funding constraints.

As Ralph suggested, the only way to find out is to apply. Pam was right...find the veteran's discharge papers, which is a key document that will be required with the application form. If your dad is a peacetime veteran, he might be young enough to have a form DD-214 although it's possible that he has a predecessor form which depended on which Service he was in. If you cannot find this document, it is possible to get a copy through the National Archives in St. Louis:

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/

Getting enrolled in the VA Healthcare is the first step to being able to access healthcare services, including in home care.

http://www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/Guide/LongTermCare/index.asp
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Go to VA.gov and check the service dates that are covered. You need to know exactly what dates he served. Find his discharge papers.
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