Posted on Aug 17, 2018 in Senior Veterans
Are you or a relative a veteran of the U.S. Army and thinking about retirement options? If you explore the possibilities for the future life of seniors and the fact they could be missing the camaraderie of colleagues in the military, you can move to a retirement community for veterans.
Types of Available Care
Options for community care for veterans including nursing homes, which are houses and places for veterans to receive qualified healthcare, community activities, and lifestyle amenities 24/7. There are a lot of communities that offer this type of care so that your older veteran is likely to find a retirement community in the area that they reside in. According to the Veterans Affairs Administration, eligibility for this kind of community is based on the financial and clinical needs of the prospective veterans. If you meet the eligibility requirements, however, the VA will pay for your nursing home care in the community.
Veteran Community Centers are designed to help senior veterans feel as close to home as possible. Residents can stay for a long or short period and can receive nursing care while in residence. There are also activities and places for family members and friends to visit and learn about the community. Residents will also have access to 24-hour skilled nursing care, restoration and access to the services of social work. Some communities are for palliative care or hospice, memory and respite care. The VA can help cover some of the costs of staying here, depending on if you are enrolled in the healthcare system and are medically and psychiatric-ally stable.
Medical foster homes are places where specially trained caregivers can administer care to select individuals. This type of home care is an alternative home for veterans to stay in when they require nursing home care but prefer having fewer people and wish to remain in a non-institutional setting. Medical foster homes are not provided or covered by the VA, though they will approve and inspect the types of homes used in this context. Trained caregivers are available 24/7, ensuring that your senior veteran will be able to receive care when they need it. The average cost for these kinds of homes is roughly $1500 to $3000 per month and is based on the needs of residents as well as their income level.
State veterans homes are places that offer nursing home care, home care or adult day services for veterans. These facilities are owned, operated and managed at the State level. There are State Veterans Homes for veterans in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. Some locations may also allow spouses of veteran and gold star parents (parents of a veteran who died in service), but others will admit only veterans. Funding will give these houses to pay for the costs of care for veterans, but not to pay for the care of a non-veteran. Federal regulations require 75 percent of the beds of these facilities to house veterans. You can visit the National Association of State Veteran Homes State to determine the nearest location to you.
There are two types of military retirement communities: Federal and private. There is also a federal military retirement community, the Armed Forces Retirement Home, with two campuses in Gulfport, MS, and Washington, D.C.Each retirement living community for veterans is different. Some offer different types of accommodation options, while others will specialize in just assisted living or skilled nursing care. Some senior living military retirement communities cater exclusively to former military members while others recognize the general public.
Eligibility for veteran retirement communities varies according to each senior housing community will have different requirements so that they can stay there, but if you are looking to live in one of the campuses of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, you must complete one of the following conditions:
There are benefits available to help senior veterans pay for senior housing. To apply, you can go online to the VA website and submit an online application. You can also download VA Form 21P-527EZ and mail the physically completed form to your local Pension Management Center. You can also visit your local regional benefits office to submit your application in person or ask any questions.
Next Steps
No matter where you are in life, Landmark Senior Living is here to make the process of growing older less worrisome and stressful. In the business of helping seniors for more than 30 years – our mission is to provide the best care in thriving communities that foster meaningful relationships for the rest of your life. We care about those who served our country and those who continue to do so. That’s why we’re unveiling a new campaign to help senior veterans and their spouses unlock the benefits available to them through the Aid and Attendance Program offered by the VA. If you’re looking for assisted living benefits for Veterans, visit Landmark at Fall River.
