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VA Benefits - What Seniors Should Know About Their Benefits

VA Benefits - What Seniors Should Know About Their Benefits

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The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a wide range of benefits to the American Armed Forces veterans and eligible family members. Unfortunately, most of these veterans may not know what they are eligible for or how to apply for VA benefits.

We are here to bridge that gap by exploring what seniors should know about Veteran Affairs benefits. We will begin by helping you understand what Veteran Affairs benefits are.

What are VA Benefits?

Serving in the USA Armed Forces calls for enormous sacrifices from the service members and their families. The USA Department of Veteran Affairs acknowledges this. That is why they offer several benefits to members on active duty and veterans. We will take you through the Veteran Affairs benefits available for seniors to show you who qualifies and how you can apply for them.

Life Insurance

You may find it hard to obtain traditional life insurance. Especially if you were injured or disabled on the line of duty. Fortunately, you can receive up to $400,000 through the Service Members and Veterans Group Life Insurance Program. Those who sign up for this program enjoy competitive premium rates.

Mortgage Help

If you cannot keep up with your mortgage payments, you are eligible for assistance to help you update your mortgage payments. You can receive help through loan forbearance, loan modification, or special repayment plans.

VA Foreclosure

The department of Veteran Affairs has a database of homes and properties serviced using VA loans. If these properties or homes have gone into foreclosure, veterans can purchase them at a discount.

Medical Benefits

Even if you are benefitting from the highly effective Medicare, your VA medical benefit can fill the gap and pay for the costs that Medicare does not cover. As a veteran, you may access VA retirement communities, hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies for low-cost or free health care nationwide.

You will be covered for conditions that Medicare does not cover. Such as dental care, long-term nursing, in-home care, preventative care, and physical examinations. Although you can get these services through co-payments or deductibles options, the costs may be prohibitive.

Veterans can benefit from both Medicare and VA medical benefits. If you have a severe service-related injury or disability, you receive the highest cover and priority.

If your service-related injury or disability is mild, you also receive coverage, but at a lower amount. Veterans with no disability or service-related illness receive the least cover.

Senior Care Benefits

Statistics indicate there are about 12.4 million veterans in America, who fought in World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Persian Gulf War.

Most of these veterans are now more than 65 years old and nursing service-related complications. They, therefore, need long-term care and are eligible for it under the VA benefits. Their spouses are also eligible for this long-term care.

All veterans above 65 years qualify for Basic Care regardless of their financial and living conditions. If any of them need occasional assistance to do their day-to-day activities, they are elevated to the Household Benefit Level.

The third category is the Aid Attendance Benefit Level. This is perfect for veterans who need help to perform their daily living activities like dressing, cooking, bathing, and protection.

It is available to veterans and their spouses who have physical or mental health challenges. VA pays for aid attendance for home-based care as well as many senior living communities such as those of Integrated Senior Lifestyles.

To qualify for senior long-term care, the veterans have to first qualify for VA pension. The VA senior long-term care benefit is paid on top of veteran's pension benefits. Spouses of veterans are also eligible for senior care long-term benefits.

However, you are only eligible for one senior care long-term benefit level. That is, if you are in aid attendance level, you cannot receive basic household benefits. Those at the household benefit level do not receive basic level benefits.

V.A Death Pensions

If your spouse had been in the Armed Forces for at least 90 days, you qualify for this benefit. But if the veteran was discharged under dishonorable conditions, you are not eligible.

Unmarried children of a veteran and those disabled before 18 years are also eligible for a death pension. A spouse benefits only if he or she did not remarry.

VA Burial Benefits

Families of veterans receive several burial-related benefits for a veteran, spouse, or dependents. A veteran, spouse, and dependents can be buried at a national cemetery at no cost.

The state pays for the grave site, the headstone, and engraving or the details on the burial headstone. The spouse and dependents can be buried at the state cemetery even when they die before the veteran. However, the family pays for funeral arrangements.

Private Burial Support

If a family opts to bury a veteran in a private burial, they will receive a headstone and a burial flag from the Veteran Affairs Department. However, they have to pay for the placement of the burial headstone.

Are Spouses Eligible for VA Benefits?

If you are the spouse of a veteran, you are eligible for most of these benefits. However, since they consider different things to determine eligibility, you should find out what you are entitled to. Apply for the Veteran Affairs benefits you qualify for. The VA benefits can reduce your financial burden and afford you a better quality of life.

How Do You Know if You are Eligible?

Veterans, their spouses are eligible for more benefits than what we have explored. The payment policies are also constantly changing. We encourage you to work with an accredited representative to know what you are eligible for and how to apply for your Veteran Affairs benefits.

Our dedicated personnel is always happy to help you out with your pension and VA benefits concerns. In all our communities, we will treat you and your loved ones like family. Whatever concerns you, including your Veteran Affairs benefits, becomes our concern too.

Contact us if you'd like to learn more about how these benefits and our Integrated Senior Lifestyle communities can help you or your loved one live life to the fullest today.

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Integrated Senior Lifestyles

251 Watermere Drive Southlake, TX 76092

817-337-7536