As the population ages, families are having more and more questions about how they can balance raising children and caring for elderly parents. Often, families turn to home care for the parents or to a variety of senior living communities. Regardless of the option, frequently families have to seek financial help to pay for the care seniors need. While Medicare and its supplements can help with medical needs, costs for assistance for daily living activities become the responsibility of the senior or his family. Few programs are available to aid seniors with these costs. However, Veterans and their surviving spouses can find help through the VA’s Aid and Attendance program.
Tuesday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m., Attorney Daylen McVay will share information about the Veteran’s Administration Aid and Attendance program at the free monthly community education seminar provided by Emerald Square Assisted Living. McVay works closely with Senior Resources and Benefits, LLC to help seniors find the resources they need so they can choose the options that suit them best. In order to make good decisions, individuals need good information. Basing decisions on incorrect information or myths can have disastrous consequences. To help inform the public and assist individuals, their advisors and other professionals about these benefits, Senior Resources & Benefits, L.L.C. (“SRB”) educates and provides useful information about senior benefits.
The focus of Tuesday’s session will be benefits available to those who have served our country. The Veterans Administration offers a variety of benefits to veterans, their surviving spouses and dependents. One of the most popular is the Aid and Attendance pension. Basically, a veteran, surviving spouse and dependent would be entitled to the pension if: (1) the veteran did not receive a dishonorable discharge, (2) the veteran served at least 90 days of consecutive active duty, and (3) at least 1 day of the veteran’s active duty service was during a time of war. If the preceding three criteria are met, the amount of pension will vary depending upon the particular applicant and the applicant’s income. There are very few asset limitations with the Aid and Attendance benefit and no transfer of asset restrictions.
With the benefit, Veterans and their spouses have more options available as they choose senior communities. Emerald Square has a number of Veteran’s and works closely with their families to insure that the community is comfortable and friendly.
Emerald Square offers free community education topics for seniors and their families the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. In August, the community will feature the topic of long term care insurance to teach about the benefits and differences in policies.
