Q. As a veteran, my father used to have to wait weeks to see a VA doctor, and that doctor was more than 35 minutes away. I heard about the MISSION Act, where he will have access to community care and can find a doctor who is closer to his home, much faster than before. […]
Veteran’s Benefits for Spouses
Dear Hayek, Welcome to the Critter Corner team! I’m hoping you can help answer my question about veteran’s benefits. My wife was a veteran before she passed away last year. I miss her dearly and am just getting around to figuring everything out. I am wondering if you can tell me what veteran’s benefits […]
Resources for Veteran’s with Dementia
Dear Magic, My mother is a veteran who has dementia and I will be her main caregiver. Do you know of any resources that can help me better understand veterans and dementia and provide tips for me in my new caregiver role? Thanks so much! Hal Pinherr — Dear Hal, As a caregiver for a […]
Programs Affecting Veterans and Progress this Year
There are currently more than 25 million veterans who served our country during wartime and may be eligible for some form of veteran’s benefits. Many of these veterans and their caregivers, who need assistance, don’t realize that they may be eligible for certain benefits that will help them. In this article, we will look at […]
Military Families Feeling Financially Stretched by Elder Care
Captain David Steere’s father was a Class of 1931 Naval Academy Graduate. At the end of his life, he was living in assisted care and having trouble making ends meet. David is now retired from the Navy himself, and is concerned about his own ability to afford long-term care, should the time come when he […]
Veterans May Have a Higher Risk of Getting Alzheimer’s
Currently, 1 in 9 Americans over the age of 65 (44 million people worldwide) live with Alzheimer’s disease. These numbers are staggering! Even more startling, is research cited in the Los Angeles Times that reveals that veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are 60% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or a late form of […]
Veteran Caregivers and Spouses: Benefit Clarification
Q. My 76-year old father, Larry, served during the Vietnam War, and suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). My mother, Anne, is his caregiver. They live on Social Security checks and his pension, and I help them out whenever I can. In my opinion, there have to be more benefits that […]
What Veterans Aid and Attendance Will and Won’t Cover
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My grandfather is a veteran who may be eligible for Veterans Aid and Attendance. What does it cover and what is not covered by it? Thanks for your help! Aidan Atendans —- Dear Aidan, The Aid and Attendance benefit helps veterans to offset the high cost of medical care and access […]
Military Caregivers: Challenges and Strategies
Q. My father, Steve, is a retired Marine who is recently widowed. My mother used to provide care for him full-time until she passed away suddenly. My brothers and sister live far away, and my father needs assistance now. He has Parkinson’s Disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and is depressed over the loss of my mom. […]
Part 2: Where Presidential Candidates Stand on Medicaid and Veterans Issues
Q. I am having a hard time following where the candidates stand on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I watched all the debates so far, and typically vote based on the person, not the party. If you know more about their stances on these issues, can you provide an apples-to-apples view on where they […]
Veterans DON’T Delay (3-Year Look-Back is Imminent)
Photo from discoveryvillages.com. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps veterans and their families by providing supplemental tax-free income through the VA Special Pension with the Aid and Attendance benefit. The Aid and Attendance benefit helps veterans to offset the high cost of medical care and access care that they otherwise might not have been able […]
Lending a Paw for Veterans
Robert Soliz, a 31-year-old former Army Specialist, participates in Paws for Purple Hearts. (Joseph Matthews, Veterans Affairs Photo) After being married for just six weeks, Mark, a U.S.Army veteran who was stationed in Iraq, sustained severe combat injuries, rendering him quadriplegic. When he arrived home, he felt despair and sadness. He could no longer do […]
Caregiving for a Veteran: Programs Mentioned at WHCOA
Dear Commander Bun Bun, In Mr. Farr’s recent article on the White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA), he talked a lot about caregiving, but didn’t mention anything about veterans, in particular. Can you elaborate on anything discussed at WHCOA that has to do specifically with caregiving and veterans? Thanks for your help! Cara Giver-Foravett —- […]
Services for Family Caregivers of Post 9/11 Veterans
Dear Baxter,I am a caregiver for my mother, who is a post-9/11 veteran and sustained a traumatic brain injury in the line of duty. Do you know of any benefits for caregivers in my situation?Thanks, Karen Forr-Mahero —– Dear Karen, Please thank your mother for her service to our country, and thanks to you for […]
Ask the Expert: VA to Offer One-Stop Website for Veteran’s Benefits
Q. My father, Joe, is a Vietnam veteran. He gets frustrated and confused when he tries to navigate all the veteran’s benefits websites and figure out what he may be eligible for. Even the VA Website doesn’t have everything he needs, and he has had bad experiences calling them, sitting on hold, getting transferred to […]
Are There Monetary Benefits for Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I write to you because I too was a Commander (in the U.S. Navy). I suffer from PTSD, and often have severe nightmares and flashbacks. I have been going to therapy for years, and even tried biofeedback, but it is becoming quite costly. Do you know of any benefits available to […]
VA Proposes Major Changes to Aid and Attendance Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing significant changes to needs-based benefit programs, including an asset limit, a look-back period, asset transfer penalties, and deductible medical expenses, as follows: Look-bank Period/Penalty Period: The new rules would establish a 36-month look-back period and a penalty period of up to 10 years for those who dispose […]
Veterans: Don’t Miss Out On Benefits
Q. My 72-year old father, Phil, served during the Vietnam War, and suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). My mother, Ruth, is his caregiver. They live on Social Security checks and his pension. In my opinion, there have to be more benefits that they can take advantage of, especially for an […]
“Ice Buckets” for Veterans
Veterans Twice as Likely to get ALS Joseph, a military veteran, noticed that he was experiencing tingling and numbness in his limbs. It didn’t take long before it progressed to difficulty walking, poor hand coordination, stumbling, and an increasingly limited range of motion. Joseph was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease because of the baseball player who made it famous. Like Joseph, […]
Planning for Long-Term Care (Part 5)
The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit The best advice that I can give you when planning for long-term care is not to delay. We never know what the future holds. While we are able, we must prepare for a variety of situations, and so it is imperative not just to plan for long-term care, […]