Guide to Taking Care of an Aging Veteran

There are different ways to care for aging people, especially for veterans. It can be challenging because of the so-called veteran’s culture, but with understanding and getting the trust and respect of a veteran, this can be something very fulfilling.

Taking care of a veteran also means understanding something deep inside them that makes them who they are. They are usually proud, strong, independent or self-reliant. They have many stories to share including the nightmares of the past.

Now, if you have a parent or a relative who’s an aging veteran, you should know that there are quite a few options when it comes to how they can be given help or assistance on a day-to-day basis. There are a few services and communities that you can check for this. You can visit Caring Advisor to see the options that you have, but here are the types of care and services you can get:

• Adult Day Services

This is an option if there is still a family member who could care for the veteran. Adult day service providers mainly assist with supervision and ensuring that the person cared for will have enough meals each day.

• Assisted Living

This is an alternative to nursing homes and works best for someone who doesn’t really need the care of a nurse 24 hours a day. Las Vegas assisted living provides a place where seniors can live together in a community of their peers, and have the peace of mind knowing that there is a team available should they need help with anything.

• In-Home Care

In-home care is hiring a professional to care for or assist the elderly. This person can be responsible for basic household tasks. In-home care assistants can also be a health worker who only focuses on the health needs of an elder. This includes professionals who come to your place on a daily basis. Some would hire two or more nurses on a shifting schedule too.

• Independent Living Retirement Homes and Communities

This works for elders or veterans who can still be independent with their daily tasks. This means that they don’t need any assistance when it comes to eating, bathing, or walking. Independent living retirement homes mainly focuses on ensuring that elders have recreational and social activities on a daily basis.

• Nursing Homes

These are facilities that provide care for elders 24 hours a day. Only licensed professionals like registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurses’ aides, therapists, and other sorts of licensed practitioners in the medical field are caring for the elders here.

• Memory Care

This is a specialized kind of assisted living or nursing home for elders with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other cognitive disorders. This type of facility ensures comprehensive assistance and daily activities. Skilled and licensed professionals are the ones caring for the elders here.

• Residential Care Homes

This is similar to a nursing home, but this is more of an assisted living facility. This is where an elder or a veteran could live with a small group. Activities, meals, and assistance of volunteers and nurses can be available here too.

There are millions of veterans out there who are already of retirement age. This number includes veterans from the Korean War, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Some of them are still nearing the retirement age, but based on studies, around 69 percent of them are unaware of the retirement benefits that they can get.

Here are the benefits that the veterans can get:

• VA Pension

This is the basic pension that a veteran or a widowed spouse of a veteran could get. It’s a supplemental income that he or she can get through the Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension benefit programs. The pension benefit that a veteran or spouse could get will be based on family income.

• Housebound Benefits

Housebound veterans and survivors may be eligible for an additional benefit. This is aside from the basic pension that they get. Qualified veterans are the ones who are confined to their immediate premises or their homes because of disability. This means that he or she can only leave the home for a doctor’s appointment or medical treatments.

• Aid and Attendance

This is also another benefit that you can get on top of the VA or basic pension. The difference is that this benefit has a different financial qualification compared to the basic pension. If a veteran isn’t qualified for a basic pension, it’s possible that this is something that they can qualify for.

These benefits can help you pay for the type of care that you intend to give to an elder veteran. The cost of assisted living or checking in a nursing home can be quite pricey and it’s just really helpful to know what benefits your parent or relative can qualify for.