Proposed Changes to the VA’s Home Aid And Attendance Program

Posted on March 9, 2015August 28, 2015 by admin

The VA is proposing changes to the Aid and Attendance program. It is an attempt to streamline the system to award it faster while preventing those without economic or physical need from receiving it.

In January of this year, the Department of Veteran Affairs made some suggested changes to programs that it offers to veterans in need, including the Aid and Attendance program.

You can find the proposed changes in their entirety here. The changes come because of a 2012 report issued by the GAO.

Reasons for the change:

Pension Used By Those Not In Need Financially or Physically: The VA had concerns that veterans and others were attempting to hide assets in order to gain access to the programs that were meant for needs-based veterans and their surviving spouses. Also, they felt that people were using the pension who did not really need it as they do not need care in the home.
Excessive Care Costs: The VA desired to put a cap on the amount per hour that care companies charge for home care standards to come more in line with industry standards.
Slow Response Time For Help: The VA realized that the speed at which they were able to award the pension was hindered by the complexity of the current application process, both to the VA and to those applying for the program. They feel the new regulations will allow the VA to award the pension in a more timely manner.

Proposed Changes:

Establish a 3-year look-back for claimants to see if they are trying to hide assets through “gifts.”
Deny any expenses related to independent living facilities as care costs UNLESS the veteran and/or spouse requires assistance with two or more activities of daily living (eating, bathing, getting dressed, etc).
Impose penalties for up to 10 years for claimants who transfer assets before applying for pension to create the appearance of economic need where it does not exist
Create a bright-line net worth standard of $119,220, which includes annual income (not including their residence – the goal is to streamline the process so qualified veterans and their spouses can get the award faster)
Require veterans to sell their homestead property if the lot coverage exceeds 2 acres.
Create a maximum amount that care companies can charge per hour for services.

We at 1 Assist Care have seen veterans and their spouses struggle as they have had to wait for approval for a program. Anything the VA can do to speed up the process, we are highly in favor of.

admin

More Dangerous than Obesity For Seniors

Posted on February 20, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

43% of seniors suffer from the ailment that is twice as deadly as obesity.
Overcoming it is not as hard as you think.

A recent study suggests that loneliness is twice as dangerous to the elderly as obesity is. In this article 1 Assist Care of the Valley discusses how to help either yourself or your loved one overcome it.

A recent study has been completed – and its findings are worrisome, especially when you consider that 43% of seniors suffer from what the study warns us of.

According to a University of Chicago Professor, John Cacioppo, feelings of loneliness can cause premature death in seniors by 14%. That is twice the risk of obesity.

He went on to explain that the effects are quite dramatic in that they:

Disrupt sleep
Elevate blood pressure
Increase levels of the hormone cortisol – which can lower immunity levels, slows the body’s ability to heal from wounds, and impairs cognitive performance
Increase depression
Lower overall subjective well-being

So what does that mean for your parent – or even yourself?

Traditional Options

Does that mean that retirement cannot be enjoyed the way that was envisioned? Absolutely not. Retirement can bring an added sense of drive to do those things that were difficult to do earlier, be that traveling or gardening or family history work, and so on.

Does that mean that the best choice is to put them into an assisted living home in Idaho Falls or in Rigby where they are certain to be surrounded by people?

For some, that is a great choice. When you consider the average employee to resident ratio at such homes is 10 to 1, and most residents spend much of their time alone in their own rooms, that may not be the best option either.

So what to do? – The solution is simple.

Professor Cacioppo suggests staying in the social circle that they have spent the past decades developing.

What better place than in the home where:

Family can visit in a warm place
They are surrounded by the neighbors that they became friends with
They can go to church and serve in new ways and in ways that they know
They can look forward to coming back to when they travel
They can continue to beautify inside and out

But living alone can be dangerous! I mean, if your loved one lives in Driggs or St. Anthony, that is so isolated.

Not so much anymore. With technologies like smart homes, electronic response systems, and Skype, family and professionals can know they are safe.

But I live far away or simply cannot spend the time with my loved one the way that they need! They cannot even remember what they had for breakfast, so I am not sure if they are even eating.

1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care in Rexburg helps to overcome these concerns. By sending caregivers to the home, there is the one on one interaction that helps to overcome loneliness – and they help with those tasks that make a house a home. Whether that is preparing a meal and eating with them, or reminding them to take the correct medication, or exercising with them, or gardening with them, or taking them places. You can know that your loved one is safe and taken care of.

We will even keep you informed with what we have done every day and how it went.

And if 43% of seniors are suffering from loneliness, there is a pretty good chance your loved one just might need it.

To schedule a free home visit with us or to discuss some options for a senior you care about, give us a call at 208-557-4215, or fill out your information below and we will be in touch with you.

If your loved one is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, be sure to ask about our program that can provide financial assistance for these types of services.

admin

Qualifications for Assisted Living Benefits for Veterans and their Spouses from the VA

Posted on February 3, 2014December 2, 2016 by admin

Outside of Idaho? Check out the Veteran Assisted Living Network site to start the qualification process.

This is something that you will want to know about.

If you are a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, or the loved one of a veteran (or the loved one of a spouse of a veteran), you will want to know about this.

It is called the Aid and Attendance and Housebound allowance that is added to the monthly pension check. It is intended to help veterans and their spouses who either need some help with the tasks of daily living (cooking, cleaning, personal care) – or it can even be used to help pay for residential care at an assisted living facility.

Either way, it is a pretty great deal.

So often as we visit with veterans and their loved ones, we more often than not find two things to be the case:

They do not know about the program
They do not know the qualifications of the program

So here is a quick rundown of the what it takes to know if you, or someone you loves, qualifies. Just go through this initial checklist. And remember, spouses of veterans (whether the veteran has passed on or is still alive) can receive these benefits.

Was the veteran honorably discharged?
Did the veteran serve during a time of war
Does the veteran (or spouse) have need of daily living activities due to either an illness or physical affliction?

If the answer is yes to these three questions, and you are looking at assisted living help, either at home or at an assisted living facility, then drop us a line and we will help you with the following:

Understanding the application process with the VA
- Including helping you to know how to get the necessary paperwork regarding military service
- We cannot fill out or sumbit any paperwork. This must be performed by the applicant, or someone approved by the VA.

Locating a home care company or an assisted living facility that will work with you as a veteran, the surviving spouse of a veteran, or their loved one.

Fill out your contact information below and we will reach out to you to begin the application process. Don’t live in our area? Not a problem, fill in the information and we will put you in touch with someone in your area who will help you:

Note: 1 Assist Care of the Valley is not any way affiliated with the US Department of Veterans Affairs nor is 1 Assist Care of the Valley compensated for assisting with the application process. We are simply an assisted living care company that helps veterans and their spouses receive the daily living care that they require.

admin