Insights from The Orlando Senior Help Desk: Veterans benefits

There are numerous assistance programs available to veterans who need advanced in-home care. These include:

• Aid and Attendance Benefits (A&A) — Available to veterans who receive a VA pension and meet certain other requirements, this program can help to supplement the cost of a family caregiver.

• Veteran-Directed Home & Community-Based Services — This supplement to the standard Veterans Health Administration medical benefits program is available in most states (but not all) and provides a flexible monthly budget, which can be used to pay a family caregiver or to cover other expenses.

• Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers — Housebound military pension recipients who meet certain criteria qualify for a monthly stipend to pay for an in-house care provider. There is no restriction on who the caregiver can be, meaning the veteran can choose to pay a family member.

• 9/11 Veterans — Some special programs are in place to help qualifying post-9/11 veterans obtain compensation for one or more family caregivers (and to expedite the application process).

Administration on Aging

Many states maintain a Department, Agency, or Administration on Aging, typically managed at the county level. Some states and counties provide stipends, reimbursement, or other forms of compensation for family caregivers.

Subsidized Guardianships

If you serve as caregiver for a child who has a disability and is related to you, but who is not your biological or adopted child, you may qualify for subsidized guardianship benefits.

While most seniors face major adjustments when transitioning to an elder-care community, Jewish seniors face additional challenges. Not only do they lose their homes, and many of their friends, but they also lose ties to their cultural heritage. This is where the Jewish Pavilion, a 501(c)3 non-profit, steps in. The Pavilion provides friendly room visits, and festive holiday celebrations to 450 Jewish residents in fifty facilities for seniors. The Jewish Pavilion promotes inclusion, and thousands of seniors of all faiths are welcomed into our programs. http://www.JewishPavilion.org.

The Orlando Senior Help Desk (407-678-9363) has helped over 10,000 callers. This free information and referral service alleviates caregiver stress while giving advice on all types of elder issues. http://www.OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org.