In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Cheryl Hammons, CFE, CSA, strategic partnership director for Veterans Care Coordination, a business that helps qualified U.S. veterans and their surviving spouses access aid and attendance benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Aid and Attendance provides monthly payments to help cover the cost of care at home services for qualified veterans. Because the process to apply and remain eligible for this lifetime benefit can be confusing, Veterans Care Coordination works with veterans and their families to apply for the aid and partners with home care agencies to provide the needed in-home care services.

In this episode we discuss:

• An overview of Veterans Aid and Attendance
• Eligibility and screening process
• The benefits of the program

Below are some highlights from our conversation:

• [1:10] Learn more about Veterans Care Coordination and how they help coordinate benefits for Veterans Aid and Attendance
• [2:40] Cheryl explains the eligibility for the Veterans Aid and Attendance program
• [5:00] The Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit isn’t just for veterans; learn who else can qualify
• [6:00] Maintaining eligibility for the program can be confusing; learn how Veterans Care Coordination helps manage access to ensure veterans take full advantage of this lifetime benefit
• [7:00] Cheryl discusses the amount of funds that each veteran can receive for in-home care
• [9:30] Cheryl details the screening and eligibility process
• [10:25] Learn how Veterans Care Coordination helps veterans meet the income to medical expense ratio that is needed in order to qualify for Veterans Aid and Attendance
• [12:00] Cheryl explains how assets are calculated and what assets are included when determining eligibility for the aid and attendance
• [16:20] Cheryl details the many benefits of in-home care, not just for the veteran, but for their families as well

After listening to today’s episode, I think that like me, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of the Veterans Aid and Attendance program and the wonderful benefit the program provides to the men and women who have bravely served our country.

You can listen to today’s episode here, or on Apple Podcasts, Google,  YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

To learn more about the growing impact and value of home care for older adults, listen to my interview with Peter Ross, CEO and Co-Founder of Senior Helpers and immediate past president of the Home Care Association of America. Like many in the home health industry, a personal experience piqued Peter’s interest and moved him into the industry, helping him understand the ways in which home care not only benefits the client, but also the client’s family as well.

If this episode has been helpful, be sure to leave a five-star review and share the podcast with your friends to help us in the national effort to educate about home health care options! You can connect with me, Merrily Orsini, on Twitter@MerrilyO.