V.A. has just put A&A benefits in place and we found a caregiver locally (agencies couldn't find one to drive 40 miles into the mountains for 7 hours a week) who will be ready to start in about a week.
We are afraid it's going to be too little too late. She's getting more and more forgetful and often confused. Seems to be escalating rapidly. UTIs are frequent, but we thought she was done for awhile after three in a row. I will probably take in a urine sample this week to see if it's back. But she's really becoming unable to take care of herself consistently, so needs more caregiver hours or an AL or NH.
Does anyone have knowledge of VA to know if they will increase A&A benefits as need increases? If so, please share your insight. I'm having trouble getting timely communication from the organization that has helped us thus far. Thank you!
Also, I'm still wanting to look into facilities, and I know there are some small ones with only a few residents. I don't know how to find them, especially close to our area. Is there a registry or something I can search? Thanks!
The amount she receives is based on her income not her needs. Her income is what determines her A&A pension. The maximum A&A pension is just under $22k a year, nowhere near enough to pay for the care your mother needs. Anyway what amount she gets now is all she is eligible for unless for some reason she loses some of her income. And yes it sounds like a caregiver coming in for 7 hours a week is too little too late.
Did they not get the memo?
She leases her ranch lands now, but still has a huge vegetable garden, herding dogs, a geriatric horse and keeps a cow and calf and some chickens. She has been self sufficient all her life. She knows that one day she will have to move closer to town.
She has no children, but a nephew lives not too far up the valley and can check in on her. Her husband died working the land and I think she would like that too.
City life is not for everybody.