Veteran’s Affairs may be able to help you pay for in–home care, assisted living or nursing home facilities through a benefit called Aid and Attendance.

Aid and Attendance is a benefit paid by Veterans Affairs (VA) to veterans, veteran spouses or surviving spouses. Aid and Attendance is for applicants who need financial help for in–home care, an assisted living facility or a nursing home. A single veteran can qualify for up to $1554 a month, while a surviving spouse may be eligible for up to $998. Aid and Attendance benefits are paid to those applicants who:

• Are eligible for a VA pension
• Meet service requirements
• Meet certain disability requirements
• Meet income and asset limitations

Applying for VA benefits is often complicated and can take some time. The average wait for approval of Aid and Attendance is six months. However, the benefits are retroactive to the date of application.

In addition, veterans who apply for benefits should be aware of scams. There are many elder financial scammers out there who want their money! These scammers charge the applicants several hundreds/thousands of dollars, guaranteeing eligibility to VA benefits. Often, these scammers are annuity sales people selling financial products that ultimately ruin the applicant’s eligibility for benefits. There are several agencies that help veterans with the application for free. If an agency is asking for money in exchange for help with an application, call CANHR or the VA, at 1–800–827–1000, before getting involved. Veterans can also contact a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) from a veteran’s service organization by calling the VA for the location of the nearest VSO. If it is unclear whether or not an agency will help or hurt you or if you think you have been scammed, contact the VA or CANHR.

To find learn more about Aid and Attendance and how to apply, see CANHR’s fact sheet on Aid and Attendance on our website or call our office and speak to one of our advocates.