ptsd Aid And Attendance Other Than Housebound Mental Disability Ptsd

[Tbird]

veteran Total 160% being paid at smc s 100% PTSD Schedular, currently it has been determined that this veteran get a payee a relative has stepped forward, va wants letter from va pysch doc and va pyschologist - pyschologist idea so no problem there - va wants to send veteran application for aid and attendance currently the veteran has these problems he needs help with

reminders to shower

reminders to eat

rides to appointments or stores (sometimes, sometimes veteran can drive himself, others not he disassociates)

help with grocery shopping

does any of that constitue a higher level than smc s, veteran can focus on certain things quite well, but can't seem to manage his day to day life

opinions

thanks

Tbird

[hawkfire27]

veteran Total 160% being paid at smc s 100% PTSD Schedular, currently it has been determined that this veteran get a payee a relative has stepped forward, va wants letter from va pysch doc and va pyschologist - pyschologist idea so no problem there - va wants to send veteran application for aid and attendance currently the veteran has these problems he needs help with

reminders to shower

reminders to eat

rides to appointments or stores (sometimes, sometimes veteran can drive himself, others not he disassociates)

help with grocery shopping

does any of that constitue a higher level than smc s, veteran can focus on certain things quite well, but can't seem to manage his day to day life

opinions

thanks

Tbird

Housebound is harder to get than A&A. Housebound you have to prove they Veteran is bedridden, and basically cannot care for themselves at all. need help with going to the bathroom (bedpans, being carried etc.).

A&A you need to prove that they just need help, and not to have it done for them. Like they can feed themselves but need someone to cook for them. Can take their medications on their own, but need someone to remind them constantly etc. Also note NEEDING SOMEONE TO DRIVE FOR THEM IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A REASON FOR A&A!!!!!! According to VA regs. Drivers can be provided for the Vet to appointments i.e. DAV VAN etc. Food can be delievered by community services, and people can always go and visit the vet at their home or take them out, including the spouse. So needing someone to drive the vet never works as a reason. Just something to keep in mind. Include it but don't build your case around it.

You need to get your primary care doc at VA to fill out the A&A form, in fact get any VA doc you have to fill out the form, and send it as one application. This will make sure that all conditions the vet is seen for are taken into account. i.e. your primary care may not know everythin your psych or cardio knows.

To answer you directly though, the disassociated states is an excellent reason for A&A, however don't limit it to the driving. Include any weird financial transaction including tv advertisments, or loan sharks. Behaviours such as getting lost, acting out of character, the influence these states have on his personal relationships. ANy strange behavior related to disassociative states that put the veteran at risk.

Reminder to eat, is especially good if the vet has diabetes as this can impact on his health. If the lack of eating is not life threatening as in the case of diabetes, they will have a hard time approving A&A for it. Because most people eat when they get hungry enough. You need to stress how this effects his health.

Reminder to shower, again stress any effects on his health or personal relationships. And important regarding diabetes if he has it. Foot checks and hygiene are very important for diabetic patients.

Help with grocery shopping, this is good, but you need to provide testimony where the veteran had no food at all and was not eating and this effect his health......?

Remember the VA A&A is for veterans that need help supplying the necessities of life. Any behavior or lack thereof that puts him in danger health or otherwise is grounds for A&A. If you don't show this by giving examples in testimony from friends and relatives, or doctor statemnts it is going to be difficult to get approved.

I stress agin, think of how his behaviors effects his health. A&A is granted only if the health and/or wellbeing of the patinet is compromised by the things you state he needs attendance for.

I help this helps! :-)

F Lynchard

[hawkfire27]

I forgot to add. Check the side effects of any required medications for his condition. INclude thes side effects, such as confusion, muscle pain, etc in your application. If he needs help because of the medications he takes for SC'ed disabilities, this helps enormously!!!

Good Luck!

[Philip Rogers]

Housebound only requires that the claimant be "substantionally" restricted to the home or the direct property, surrounding the home, not necessarily beddridden, although that's the way it's written. This can be due to mental disorders or physical disorders. Many persons w/PTSD restrict themselves to their homes. The court, within the past yr or two, ruled that if a person's PTSD kept them from going to work they would qualify for HB.

pr

Housebound is harder to get than A&A. Housebound you have to prove they Veteran is bedridden, and basically cannot care for themselves at all. need help with going to the bathroom (bedpans, being carried etc.).

A&A you need to prove that they just need help, and not to have it done for them. Like they can feed themselves but need someone to cook for them. Can take their medications on their own, but need someone to remind them constantly etc. Also note NEEDING SOMEONE TO DRIVE FOR THEM IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A REASON FOR A&A!!!!!! According to VA regs. Drivers can be provided for the Vet to appointments i.e. DAV VAN etc. Food can be delievered by community services, and people can always go and visit the vet at their home or take them out, including the spouse. So needing someone to drive the vet never works as a reason. Just something to keep in mind. Include it but don't build your case around it.

You need to get your primary care doc at VA to fill out the A&A form, in fact get any VA doc you have to fill out the form, and send it as one application. This will make sure that all conditions the vet is seen for are taken into account. i.e. your primary care may not know everythin your psych or cardio knows.

To answer you directly though, the disassociated states is an excellent reason for A&A, however don't limit it to the driving. Include any weird financial transaction including tv advertisments, or loan sharks. Behaviours such as getting lost, acting out of character, the influence these states have on his personal relationships. ANy strange behavior related to disassociative states that put the veteran at risk.

Reminder to eat, is especially good if the vet has diabetes as this can impact on his health. If the lack of eating is not life threatening as in the case of diabetes, they will have a hard time approving A&A for it. Because most people eat when they get hungry enough. You need to stress how this effects his health.

Reminder to shower, again stress any effects on his health or personal relationships. And important regarding diabetes if he has it. Foot checks and hygiene are very important for diabetic patients.

Help with grocery shopping, this is good, but you need to provide testimony where the veteran had no food at all and was not eating and this effect his health......?

Remember the VA A&A is for veterans that need help supplying the necessities of life. Any behavior or lack thereof that puts him in danger health or otherwise is grounds for A&A. If you don't show this by giving examples in testimony from friends and relatives, or doctor statemnts it is going to be difficult to get approved.

I stress agin, think of how his behaviors effects his health. A&A is granted only if the health and/or wellbeing of the patinet is compromised by the things you state he needs attendance for.

I help this helps! :-)

F Lynchard

[Tbird]

he decided to wait to apply for a&a, i don't talk to him that often. he did seem to be doing better

[Teac]

Housebound is harder to get than A&A. Housebound you have to prove they Veteran is bedridden, and basically cannot care for themselves at all. need help with going to the bathroom (bedpans, being carried etc.).

I disagree veterans often get Housebound by being 100% plus 60% for seperate conditions, and the veteran doesn't have to show that they cannot care for themselves.

A&A you need to prove that they just need help, and not to have it done for them. Like they can feed themselves but need someone to cook for them. Can take their medications on their own, but need someone to remind them constantly etc.

Well it is still harder to get A&A than you make it sound.

I've had both.. so my experience says A&A was the hardest to get.