The Department of Veteran Affairs offers a special benefit to war era veterans and their surviving spouses called Aid and Attendance.
This is a tax-free benefit designed to provide financial assistance to help cover the cost of long term care in the home, in an assisted living facility or in a nursing home.
This Benefit is for those veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person or caregiver in at least two of the daily activities of living such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and transferring.
The requirements for the program are below.
- Must have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a period of war.
- Must have anything other than a Dishonorable discharge.
- A surviving spouse must have been married to the veteran at the time of his passing.
- Must require the assistance of another person to perform some of the daily activities of living.
- Must meet income and countable asset criteria established by the VA.
- Must be 65 years and older or totally disabled.