[BLOG] Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a special day to honor and remember those who died while serving in the U.S. military. A day dedicated to showing respect and reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice of military personnel to defend our country’s freedoms.

This day can be honored in senior living facilities with a moment of silence for the fallen, a memorial parade in the halls, or the rising of the flag at half-staff.

It’s important to honor our heroes by highlighting the benefits available to them. Did you know the VA offers Aid and Attendance, an additional benefit program for veterans and surviving spouses?

Let’s get into the details. On average in the state of Georgia, the cost of staying at a senior living facility for a month is $3,500. According to the U.S. News, "Veterans and their spouses have multiple financial benefits that can help cover the cost of assisted living," says Rick Wigginton, Chief Sales Officer with Brookdale Senior Living, a Tennessee-based senior living company with 675 senior living communities in 41 states across the country.

These benefits are separate from Medicare or Medicaid benefits, adds Dana Taylor, a social worker and senior regional manager for Veterans Home Care based in St. Louis, Missouri. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for adults 65 and over. Medicaid is a combined state and federal program that provides health coverage to low-income individuals, regardless of age. The VA's Aid & Attendance and Housebound program is part of pension benefits for veterans and surviving spouses. These benefits, the VA reports, "are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to pension," meaning that you can't access this benefit if you're not a pensioned veteran or a survivor of a pensioned veteran.

To qualify for the program, you must:

• Be a veteran of war-era with an honorable discharge or be the surviving spouse of a veteran of war-era with an honorable discharge.
• Need medical assistance.
• Need financial assistance.

Aid & Attendance is received when you meet one of several potential conditions, including:

• Requiring the aid of another person to perform the activities of daily living. These personal functions include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, or assistance in staying safe from hazards in your daily environment
• Being disabled to the point of being bedridden, beyond what would be considered normal recovery from a course of treatment like surgery.
• Being a patient in a nursing home because of physical or mental incapacity.
• Having very poor eyesight (5/200 corrected visual acuity or less in both eyes) or a field of vision limited to 5 degrees or less.

This program can make a huge difference for veterans and their families, offering peace of mind and much-needed support.

To find out more information, visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/long-term-care/