I would like to set forth a basic primer for those people exploring VA benefits for themselves or for their loved ones.

I will start by addressing some general scenarios that arise in my practice regarding a little known benefit called Aid and Attendance.

Aid and Attendance is a needs based program. It is there to help those Americans who served our country during a period of war time, who now find themselves in need.

As you walk through your day, I challenge you to look around you and query whether there are these veterans in your life that you could be helped by this benefit.

What do these Veterans look like?

They are your neighbors. They are your parents. They are your friends. They own homes. They are not penniless; they just have exceedingly high medical costs.

Example:

Bill is a WWII veteran. He has worked hard all of his life to provide for his wife, Sara, and family. Together they have raised four children. He is now 90 years old and she is 88. A recent fall sent Bill to the hospital. He fractured his hip, requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation. He has now been in a skilled nursing facility for three months and is ready to come home. He has no intention of dying in the nursing home and Sara is eager to have him home. Bill has an easy smile and a sweet sense of humor. He is really a great guy and someone you would find easy to like.

Sara is fairly healthy; but at 100 lbs she can hardly help lift Bill into his wheelchair or into the shower. Sara can feed Bill and do the laundry, but she can't bathe him by herself. She can't take care of his toileting needs either. This upsets them both. Bill and Sara need help in their home. It's hard to ask for help and it's hard to pay for help. This is not an easy time for either of them. If Bill is like most veterans I know, he does not want to ask for money and he certainly doesn't want hand-outs. He would, however, love to hear from the VA that his time served in WWII now draws a benefit for Sara. He feels awful about the pressure she is under to provide for his care and if cost were not a factor he feels sure she would be open to having help.

Please tell Bill that the Aid and Attendance benefit can step in at this crucial time. While there are income limitations that often deter people from applying for Aid and Attendance, there is significant confusion in this area. Bill's income may seem high, but costs for his care are subtracted from his income.