If you or a loved one is ready to take advantage of everything a senior living community has to offer, you can expect to receive support to live your best life possible.
While the benefits are many, the opportunities to stay active, exercise, eat a healthy diet and have the chance to meet and make new friends can greatly add to quality of life.
But when families are considering whether senior living can fit within their budget, they may be surprised at all the different funding sources that can contribute.
If you or your family member is a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, you may want to check into the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits for senior living. One program that can help pay for senior living expenses is the VA Aid and Attendance benefit.
VA benefits for senior living: Aid and Attendance
The VA Aid and Attendance program provides monthly payments in addition to the basic pension paid to qualifying veterans or their survivors. One or more of the following must be true to be eligible:
1. You require help to perform activities of daily living.
2. Your disability requires you to mostly stay in bed.
3. You are living in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity.
4. Your corrected visual acuity is 5/200 or less in both eyes.
5. You have concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less.
VA benefits for senior living: financial requirements
There are also financial requirements that must be met, including not exceeding a set limit for net worth. The person’s car, personal effects and primary residence are excluded from this determination. However, benefits can be denied or delayed if it is found during the three-year lookback period that assets were gifted or sold below market value to reduce the person’s net worth.
You will also need to establish your eligibility for the basic VA pension. It should be noted that the Aid and Attendance benefit is based on a higher income limit so even if you’re not eligible for the basic pension, you may still qualify for the increased pension benefits.
VA benefits for senior living: qualifying for the basic pension
The following requirements must be met:
1. You must not have been dishonorably discharged
2. You must have served on active duty before September 8, 1980 for at least 90 days, with at least one day during wartime or served on active duty after September 7, 1980 for 24 months, with at least one day during wartime.
3. You must meet at least one of these criteria: be 65 or older, have a permanent disability, live in a nursing home due to a disability or receive Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income.
VA benefits for senior living: surviving spouse qualifications
You may be eligible for a VA Survivors Pension if you meet these criteria:
1. You haven’t remarried after the veteran’s death
2. Your yearly family income and net worth meets the limits set by Congress, excluding your house, car and most home furnishings and minus any debt you owe.
3. The veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge
4. The veteran’s service meets at least one of the following:
The veteran entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980 and served at least 90 days on active military service, with at least one day during a covered wartime period, or
The veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980 and served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty, with at least one day during a covered wartime period, or
The veteran was an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981 and hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months.
You may be eligible for the VA Aid and Attendance benefit as a survivor if you get a VA pension and you meet at least one of the same requirements listed above for the veteran to qualify.
VA benefits for senior living: additional resources
For more information on veterans or survivors pensions and benefits, you can also visit the following websites:
Aid and Attendance benefits: https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/
Veterans pension: http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/current_rates_veteran_pen.asp
Survivors pension: http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/current_rates_survivor_pen.asp
Discover Prairie City Landing
You’ll know we have designed our community with today’s seniors in mind when you first visit your new independent living home and discover a spacious, condominium-style apartment filled with an abundance of natural light – as well as a full-sized kitchen and generous storage space.
If your needs change and you require assistance, we can provide these services to you in your home or we also have a limited number of Assisted Living apartments.
We believe you’ll love our amenities, which include:
- Farm-to-table dining
- Fitness program that focuses on optimum health of body and mind
- Community areas including restaurants and gathering spaces for family and friends
- State-of-the-art theater
- Art studio
- Outdoor living area and dining
- Walking paths and gardens
And take a look at just a few of the activities that set us apart:
- Beekeeping
- Grandkids pajama parade
- Paddleboarding
- Culinary lessons
- Drum circles
- Wine pong
- Paws on the patio with chef prepared treats
- Guys night out
- …We even have a bikini car wash fundraiser
We also invite you to discover how we support residents through our lifestyle promise that we call YUSM:
- Feeling YOUTHFUL
- Staying USEFUL
- Being SPONTANEOUS
- Remaining MOBILE
If you’re considering senior living for yourself or a family member, we’re here to answer any of your questions. Please contact us at 000-000-0000 if you’d like more information or to schedule a personalized tour and we invite you to download our complimentary guide, Funding Senior Care.
We hope you’ll visit Prairie City Landing, where you’ll discover we’re a different style of senior living – and it’s all by design.
