Dear Angel, I am a disabled Air Force veteran, and my husband and I live in Northern Virginia. We have mostly stayed in the house due to the pandemic and miss seeing family. I am pretty technologically savvy and we’d love to communicate with our family members and see their faces since we can’t see […]
Helping Veterans with PTSD During COVID-19
Q. I’m a new caregiver for my father, Ted. Since I began a few months ago, most of my caregiving has been at a distance, due to the coronavirus. Dad has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder from his time in the Vietnam War. What can I expect, as far as typical symptoms for PTSD? What can be […]
Resources for Veterans (and others) with PTSD During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dear Hayek, My father is a veteran with PTSD who is being cared for at home by my mother. I know the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy on them, having to stay at home all time and not being able to see their grandchildren in person. What can my mom do to help my dad […]
After 40 Years, “Widows Tax” is Finally Eliminated
Q. My friend, Kim, lost her husband Brian in a helicopter crash in Iraq 15 years ago while he was serving our country. After he died, she was told that she would have to forfeit benefits that her husband had paid into for years, because she already receives other benefits for survivors through the Department […]
New VA Training Effort Launched for Providers and Caregivers of Veterans
Dear Ernie and Jannette, I am a caregiver for my husband, an army veteran named Steve. He gets regular treatment for a mild traumatic brain injury and for persistent migraines. He has countless appointments through our local Veteran Affairs (VA) hospital. We work together to make sure he’s getting what he needs and can keep […]
Open Enrollment 2020: How Veterans Can Best Maximize Their Benefits
Dear Rune, I am a veteran who wants to add Medicare Advantage benefits during open enrollment this year. I have a few questions about my veterans benefits and Medicare plans, and I’m hoping you can help. First, can Medicare Advantage and VA benefits work together? Also, are there any specific Medicare Advantage plans for veterans? […]
Can You Suppress the Onset of Dementia by Treating Apathy?
After many moves and achieving the rank of colonel in the Air Force, Ken had big plans for retirement. His already full bucket list was getting even longer, as he thought of new things he wanted to do with his wife. As an avid runner, Ken planned on training for his first half marathon, visiting […]
Are VA Nursing Homes Free for Veterans?
Q. My father is a Vietnam Veteran who will almost certainly need nursing home care in the future. Will the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing home system take care of him for free? Are VA nursing homes as good as private ones? Are there many VA nursing homes in the DC Metro area? And […]
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 […]
Caregiving for Veterans — There’s a Map for That
John was an Army officer who was struck by a bomb blast that threw him 20 feet from where he was standing while on a patrol. After a few months of recovery, John’s family realized something was very wrong. He began having spells of confusion and memory loss, and as he got older, things got […]
Veterans Benefits for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Q. I read that Veterans who experienced brain trauma in the course of their service are at a 60% higher risk for developing dementia, while those who have experienced PTSD are twice as likely. My father is a Vietnam Veteran who suffers from PTSD. His family also has a history of dementia. With his risk […]
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 […]
Yikes! Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2018
Believe it or not, in Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Special Needs Planning, there are some news stories that sound more like the scary plots of horror movies than real life. The topics can be so horrifying that suddenly, you need to turn on all the lights just to read the news stories and do […]
Changes to Veterans Pension Rules Are Looming — Plan Now!
Q. I’ve been an avid reader of your newsletter for many years. A couple of years ago, you published an article indicating that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was proposing significant changes to needs-based benefit programs, such as the Veteran’s Aid and Attendance pension. You mentioned that the new rules were going to include […]
Scams Targeting Veterans and What to Do
Dear Magic, I have read that scams targeting veterans are pretty prevalent, and that is so unfortunate. Can you tell me what types of scams they are, so I can warn my dad? Thanks for your help! Nomar Scamms — Dear Nomar, Unfortunately, as you mentioned, some of the men and women who bravely served […]
Can Your Spouse Get Paid for Being Your Caregiver?
Joseph quit his full-time job to provide full-time care for his wife, Stephanie, who is suffering from early-onset dementia. He bathes and dresses her, prepares her meals, takes her blood pressure, gives her prescribed medications twice a day, and takes her to all of her medical appointments. Joseph had to quit his job to fulfill […]
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 […]
Caregiving for a Veteran
Dear Ribbit, My husband is an partially disabled veteran and I am his caregiver. Sometimes, it can be stressful, and I can use all the help, support, and educational resources I can get. A friend told me she thinks that there’s some type of program that offers “comprehensive assistance” for family members who provide […]
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 […]
Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2016 (If You Dare)
With Halloween upon us, now is the time when we present you with this year’s scariest stories. From one typo costing you your computer to loved ones with Alzheimer’s owning guns, we uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked our scariest articles from least to most scary (but you be the judge) for […]