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Jim Garner is a retired Air Force veteran, who proudly served his country for 23 years.
At age 48, Jim Garner was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, the precursor to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
He is now 53 and the toll the disease has taken on him and his family is devastating.
Jim Garner’s wife, Karen Hagan Garner, wrote a poignant Facebook post explaining why she is not celebrating Veterans Day. She says she feels abandoned by Veterans Affairs and the entire government. In the post, she outlines the frustration she has experienced trying to get VA benefits for her husband’s care.
The veteran doesn't qualify for VA medical benefits because his disease is not service-related. He fails to meet the requirements of other government-sponsored health care assistance programs because he's too young or not poor enough. According to the Daily Press, even Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who held a meeting with VA and other government officials to discuss the Garner case, was unable to provide assistance.
The VA did approve a 30-day respite stay, but the family is struggling to find a way to pay for long-term residential care.
A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for Jim Garner's assisted living care, which costs $4,000 per month. He is unable to care for himself and becomes easily agitated, so he could no longer be cared for at home. The couple have two school-age children.
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