Benefit Gives Veteran Seniors Options For Maintaining Independence

March 7, 2011 - PRLog -- 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. In the case of senior Veterans, often with limited incomes, the answer historically has been Veteran's Centers. Often VA Homes are not very convenient for families to visit frequently. Since families often do not have the means to assist financially in care for their seniors and want loved ones close, they 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 usually become the responsibility of the senior or his family. Few programs are available to aid seniors with these costs, and the options offered are fairly limited. However, Veterans and their surviving spouses can find help that provides many options through the VA’s Aid and Attendance program.

Tuesday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m., Dan Yancey, Executive with Senior Resources and Benefits, LLC 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. Mr. Yancey's firm works 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, advisors at SRB educate and provide useful information about senior benefits.

The focus of Thursday’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 third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. In April and May, Emerald Square will feature professionals from OU Physicians.

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Emerald Square is OKC's best kept secret in senior living. Offering both independent and assisted living options, this senior community is convenient to NW, SW OKC, Bethany, Warr Acres, Yukon and Mustang areas.