Would the VA help pay the cost of Mom's (a Veteran's widow) nursing home? Could the money be used to help pay the difference so she could have a private room?
my mother just applied for A @ A thru a senior services organization and we were told that approval takes 4 months. we shall see. also she done a three month stint in AL a few years ago and the va paid for about 30 % of the monthly bill. her husband was a korean vet, long deceased.. about any local hospital should be able to tell you where to find a veterans advocate cause each time my mother was hospitalized they seemed to appear right out of thin air. these are private organizations and they can help you with all kinds of legal crap but they arent allowed to charge for A @ A applications.
I am told the turn around for the spouse of a vet is 10 months. The benefits are retroactive to the day they received your application. You should call your local Senator and have them look into it This usually helps. This is what I did.
The VA helps pay for assisted living also. The paperwork is daunting but it can be done. The biggest obstacle I have seen to getting the benefit is if the eligible person has too many assists they will be denied. I think the cap is about $80,000 but this does not include a vehicle or the home if the person is still living in it. I have been in this process for about 8 months now. I am a nurse who is living with her elderly Mother in her home. I am unable to work now but feel that since I am enabling my Mom to live in her own home instead of an assisted living or nursing home she should be able to get that benefit. So far just letters saying they are "working on the paperwork". By the time the benefit comes thru it may be too late. Keep the faith and do not let the paperwork deter you!
You need to go to the veteranaid.org to find out and if you have a question, they have an open forum that you can ask a question, they even have a member of the forum that works in one of the VA pension offices. They can answer your questions.
VA may pay a higher rate of DIC or pension to a surviving spouse who is blind, a patient in a nursing home, otherwise needs regular aid and attendance, or who is permanently confined to his or her home because of a disability. You need to fill out VA FORM 21-534. If you wish to apply for this benefit, check "Yes" for Item 31 on this form.
http://www.veteranaid.org/apply.php Here is a link that will help. Don't let it overwhelm you....
also she done a three month stint in AL a few years ago and the va paid for about 30 % of the monthly bill. her husband was a korean vet, long deceased..
about any local hospital should be able to tell you where to find a veterans advocate cause each time my mother was hospitalized they seemed to appear right out of thin air. these are private organizations and they can help you with all kinds of legal crap but they arent allowed to charge for A @ A applications.
http://www.veteranaid.org/apply.php Here is a link that will help. Don't let it overwhelm you....
Let me know if I can answer any other questions!