Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2007 > December > 01
Saturday, December 1, 2007
“Little known pension could help veterans”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He sees it often in his line of work.
Elderly veterans in need of a care provider, but unfit financially to pay for it.
The U.S. government has a special program to benefit veterans. It’s called “Aid and Attendance,” a monthly pension benefit administered through the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Pete Ross, owner of a franchise that provides non-medical home care, comes across many veterans who could use the aid, but don’t know about it. Or don’t know how to apply.
“I don’t want to be critical of the Veterans Administration,” he said, “but whether they go the extra mile to get the information out or not, I don’t know.”
Online, I pulled up a year-old news release in which the VA acknowledged that this particular pension plan was “underused.” Jim Nicholson, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, said the agency was making a concerted effort to inform war-time veterans, and surviving spouses of deceased war-time veterans, about the assistance.
“Veterans have earned this benefit by their service to our nation,” he said in the release. “We want to ensure that every veteran or surviving spouse who qualifies has the chance to apply.”
Ross, of Suwanee, is doing his part, too.
He’s the director of operations for one of three Atlanta area ComForcare Senior Services franchises. His Norcross office covers Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. Locally, it serves 30 local clients - mostly elderly people, some veterans - who suffer from ailments or diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. They contract for a certified caregiver on an hourly basis at $16 an hour.
I know what some of you think. Ross wants to grease his palms, bolster business. He assured me he wasn’t, and reminded me that his isn’t the only game in town. The elderly have options - nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, hospice.
Besides, consider the greater good: Local veterans might get assistance that makes life a little easier. With the 66th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack days away, Ross thought now would be a good time to try and raise awareness.
Who’s eligible?
According to the VA, war-time veterans and surviving spouses who have in-home care or who live in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. The veteran must have served at least 90 days of active military service (one day of which must be during war time) and have an honorable discharge.
Ross has helped vets apply and get assistance. He said couples receive about $1,900 a month; surviving spouses get about $1,000 a month.
“It’s illegal to charge a vet to help with this application process,” he told me. “It takes about three months for approval and the recipient is reimbursed from the date of the application. “The ones who really benefit from this are in the low- to middle-income range. If you’re a vet who has worked all your life, you can benefit from this.”
And you deserve it.
For more information about the Aid and Attendance benefit, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-827-1000 or visit www.va.gov.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sunday, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Services »
