Not every older adult wants to live in a nursing home. To make it easier for older individuals to live productively and independently, families seek home care services for their loved ones. Home care is a comfortable alternative to assisted living that helps older adults with personal care and the activities of daily living.
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, there are around 19 million U.S. veterans. As veterans who served the country grow older, they may require home care services. Learn how veteran home care makes a difference for former military and surviving spouses.
What Is a VA Home Care Program?
VA home care programs provide extensive support to veterans and their families. 77% of adults 50 and older want to remain at home for the long term, a number that has been consistent for over a decade. With such a high number of adults preferring to age in place, it’s clear that providing care options for veterans is essential.
Home care for veterans ensures your loved one’s health, productivity, and independence. Veterans receive a caregiver who works with them around the clock to ease their discomfort while living with an injury, health condition, or aging in place. Caregivers assist with the activities of daily living like bathing, meal preparation, and dressing. Adjusting to home life after active duty can be challenging. VA home care services are structured to increase comfort and make the transition natural and tension-free.
How Veterans’ In-Home Care Benefits Independence
VA home care services allow veterans to remain comfortably at home while aging in place or dealing with a health condition. Receiving home care helps veterans and their families feel safe and in control of their situation. Spending a lot of time in familiar surroundings with a solid daily routine can provide your loved one with a sense of comfort and consistency that may have been missing during active duty.
When partnered with a caregiver who understands their personal experience and care requirements, veterans can improve their health and well-being and enhance their mood. Caregivers help veterans establish a nutritious diet, assist with health conditions, and provide emotional support. They help manage any feelings of loneliness a veteran may experience while living at home by offering companionship and transportation to meet-ups and local adult day centers.
An Explanation of VA Home Care Services
Home care for veterans includes many services, all of which promote the independence and productivity of veterans and surviving spouses.
If you’re a family caregiver supporting a veteran alone, you may need a break to decompress and deal with other personal responsibilities. Home care services provide you with a caregiver to look after your loved one while you spend time elsewhere. Respite care helps reduce tension between family caregivers and their loved one and prevents burnout. Once you’re ready to take up caregiving responsibilities again, you’re refreshed and enthusiastic.
Personal care services help veterans maintain a high quality of life while living with a condition or aging in place. Caregivers ensure patients remain independent by offering assistance with the activities of daily living. These activities include:
- Grooming (combing, cutting nails, applying cosmetics)
- Mobility (getting in and out of bed, moving around the house)
- Hygiene (toileting, brushing teeth, bathing)
- Nutrition (meal preparation, dietary guidance)
Caregivers help veterans engage with their communities and feel supported. Home care aides provide friendship and assist with grocery shopping, light housekeeping, and meal preparation. With companion care, veterans can lessen the social isolation they may feel due to living alone.
What Are Aid and Attendance Benefits?
Aid and Attendance is a pension benefit surviving spouses and veterans receive to assist with securing in-home care services, nursing home accommodations, and lodging at an assisted living facility. To qualify for Aid and Attendance, you must also meet the eligibility requirements for basic VA pension benefits.
Qualifying for VA Aid and Attendance
If you require help with activities of daily living, you may be eligible for financial assistance through Aid and Attendance. Activities include:
- Mobility
- Toileting
- Grooming
- Dressing
- Feeding
- Hygiene
MDC Healthcare Provides High-Quality VA Home Care Services
You don’t have to do everything alone. MDC Healthcare specializes in providing veterans with excellent home care services. We promote the independence and productivity of veterans as they age in place or live with a condition. When you work with our team, we learn what you need to feel safe and in control of your situation and match you with a caregiver who can satisfy those needs.
We ensure your caregiver is a match for you on more than a superficial level. Our staff includes native speakers of 18 different languages, and we strive to serve communities of every race, culture, and creed. We value your personal experience and offer care professionals who can genuinely relate to veterans and their families. Whether you need assistance with the Aid and Attendance application process or defining your care needs, we’re here to support you.
Ready to discuss VA home care programs? Reach out today.
