Local veterans who are disabled or aging now have the option to receive in-home care services covered by Veterans Affairs.
The VA has recently approved Beyond Home Care to provide in-home care services for senior veterans. While senior veterans have always had the opportunity to receive these services, they can now receive them at little to no cost.
Some services include assisting with daily tasks such as cooking, bathing, walking and other functions that might be difficult for seniors.
Beyond Home Care owner Kelly Adams said the VA offers this benefit to veterans in rural areas.
“The community care network is a program through the VA for rural areas,” Adams said. “(It allows) for veterans to get the services they need, even in rural communities.”
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs says there are over 350,000 veterans in Alabama alone. For veterans who live in rural communities in the state, this program will serve those who need assistance with basic tasks, such as safely getting up stairs, cleaning their home, cooking meals and more.
“The purpose of the program in and of itself is to keep veterans in their home,” Adams said. “We want people to be able to age in place. To be able to live in their homes as long as they are able to. Instead of them having to go to a nursing facility if they don’t need that type of care, they can receive it at home.”
To be eligible for this service, veterans do not have to be injured in service. The criteria for qualification is different from other VA services.
Adams said veterans who receive this service must have received a referral from their VA physician stating that they need assistance with daily living. Their physician will essentially “prescribe” a certain amount of hours of care per week, and the VA will cover that cost.
“It’s a benefit that is paid for, completely, by the VA,” Adams said. “Most veterans don’t even realize. It’s not a pension service. A lot of times veterans know they receive benefits through their pension, but this is a different program.”
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