My father has been qualified with a 40% service connected disability; I'm still learning about the programs for which he might be qualified. He's already enrolled to get health care benefits (a separate "service").
I've just read in a post in the Discussion section about these two programs cited above.
On Monday I'll start the process by contacting the our local VA, which I've found to be extremely helpful, after doing research over the weekend.
My goals for involvement would first be home therapy post hospital stay and then long term assistance with home care for showering, cleaning, house maintenance (not tradesman work though) etc. With that in mind, any advice, suggestions, etc. to share?
This is only sketchy information Aid & Attendance does include home based care services. There's a weekly maximum of hours - it isn't a lot thought. There's a Homemaker Health Aid aspect; I believe it's an element or function within A & A.
Another is the non service connected pension, with 3 elements:
(a) pension (b) housebound and (c) Aid & Attendance. So it would seem that the NSCP program is the larger one, with A & being only one aspect.
There are levels of financial qualifiers or disqualifiers as well, but they applied to aspects that didn't interest me so I didn't take notes on them. And they vary; I would have had to make a chart to follow it all, but we were pressed for time as the service organizations would only have been open for a short while before closing (we went after our other appointments were finished).
She did say that for the Aid & Attendance, we should ask the VA Primary Care physician for information on that. I assumed that this is where the referral starts, so I'll check that out first.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful; I'll probably understand more thoroughly what's involved when I do more of my own research.
The rep generally insisted on giving me at least a basic overview even though she was late for an appointment, so I didn't press to get more information.
Stacey, nothing was mentioned about respite care, but as I wrote this was just a very general overview.
Stacey, I met briefly today with a rep for one of the service organizations since we were already at the VA anyway. I'm still trying to sort out the options and restrictions. Maybe tomorrow I can think clearer. A & A is a lot more complicated than I thought - it isn't just home care and medical care.
Just speaking to the vacation issue, I've learned that there are some facilities that give discounts to military families. I'm going to PM a link to you for a military newsletter I get; the latest e-mails have provided information on these vacation discounts.
It's worth getting as there are other military benefit issues as well, and it's written by former and I believe now a reserve AF officer (yeah, go AF!)
(a) Home Based Primary Care Program (HBPC).
(b) Veterans Independent Care
Sorry - got the two mixed up and created some new programs!