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Aid And Attendance For Alzheimer's

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Hello all,

My father, a Vietnam veteran, is 100% disabled (permanent and total) from agent orange exposure, which resulted in a severely weakened immune system. In about 2010 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and it has progressed rapidly. He is very confused, and we currently have him on a waiting list for a veterans only home (I would do anything, and I mean ANYTHING to prevent this, but it is clear now that he can't stay at home much longer). Although the VA will pay the cost for the home, he may not get in for 6 months or so and the financial situation isn't good.

I am wondering if he may qualify for Aid and Attendance. While he is not bedridden, he can not be left alone for long, and needs a great deal of help and will require more assistance as time goes on. I would greatly appreciate any advice you folks can provide.

Can he qualify for Aid and Attendance when the Alzheimer's isn't service connected, although it damn well should be?

How is the Aid and Attendance compensation rated? Would it come close to paying for someone to attend to him full time in his home?

I really know nothing about this, and good explanations seem hard to come by.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

The best thing to do is apply and request an expedited service due to financial hardship. A&A can pay up to $3k-$4k monthly and possibly more, depending on the need. I doubt it would cover the costs of a fulltime caretaker, making any kind of a livable wage. jmo

pr

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Philip, we are going to meet with a VFW rep to discuss the application process. I believe he meets the requirements (although they are confusing as hell). Part of me was hoping that it would be enough to afford keeping him in my parent's home, but at least it is still enough to help a great deal with finances.

Stretch, I have heard many stories like that. My takeaway from what you said is that we shouldn't put him in a home, or that a veteran's home is a poor choice. Unfortunately we cannot afford to pay the expense out of pocket. But the VA will pay for almost the entire cost of the veteran's home we chose. Also, the veteran's home my family chose is apparently one of the best. It is a newer facility in Manteno, IL.

I feel that I need to explain the situation more, so that you can understand that although we do not want this, there is no other option. I can tell you that my family is heartbroken that it has come to this. When my mother first told my sisters and I that we needed to start looking into a home for him, we were all heartbroken. I was angry and disgusted with all of them at first. I couldn't even understand why they would consider it. But I started to see, as time progressed, the horrible truth about Alzheimer's. He is becoming so forgetful and confused that he will soon become a danger to himself. They call it the "long goodbye." Day after day we watch him lose himself, and the memories of us and who we are. Even worse is the fact that Alzheimer's victims eventually become violent and uncontrollable. Although my father has not reached that point yet, he is medicated in order to calm him down, and gets extremely angry even on the meds.

I hope that the home we have chosen will take good care of him, and if I learn that they've done otherwise heads will xxxxxxx roll. I truly dread the day we have to drive there, and leave him behind.

Edited by fortitudine
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  • HadIt.com Elder

You might consult with a Elder Care Lawyer. Those who cannot afford to pay for a nursing home get medicade. My grandmother was on medicade for 5 years in a nursing home. We kept her close so we could check on her frequently. She was a double amputee and she was just old. I tried to get her A&A but the nursing home would have got that anyway.

Medicade has a "look-back" period to see if money or property has been transferred. The person going on medicade has to be broke. When it is a couple there are different rules to protect the spouse. They can't force an elderly couple to sell their house so one can go to a nursing home. If the couple has an IRA then that is when you need the Elder Care lawyer. If your father needs to be in a nursing home and you can show he is a danger to himself or others I think you can make the VA find a spot for him. There was no waiting list when they sent him to Vietnam.

John

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