VA Benefits That Can Support a Move to Senior Living

The Lehigh Valley honors and appreciates our veterans and their families. These are the brave men and women who risk everything to keep us safe and free. We are indebted to them for their service and hold them in high esteem. As veterans enter the ranks of senior adults, they find themselves with more healthcare needs.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found that retired military veterans are more likely to experience chronic conditions and need long-term care than non-veterans. Veterans are eligible for many benefits to help them meet the costs when the time comes to move to senior living.

VA Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound allowance

VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified veterans and survivors. If you need help with activities of daily living, you may qualify and be able to receive care support from a senior living community like Heather Glen Senior Living.

Our community offers

• access to well-trained and compassionate staff around the clock.
• assistance with activities of daily living (like bathing, dressing, meals, and medicine management).
• a variety of activities, outings, and socialization opportunities..
• private, functional, comfortable apartments.
• an attractive, home-like, comfortable living environment.

Heather Glen supports our resident veterans with a monthly Veterans Heroes meeting, as well as honoring our residents with special programs, like we will be hosting this Veterans Day. As a special tribute, we have nearly completed our Veterans Wall to honor each veteran residing with us.

The nation's Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits. Find out if you’re eligible for this benefit.

Am I eligible for Veterans Pension benefits?

You may be eligible for the Veterans Pension program if you meet these requirements.
Both of these must be true:

• You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, and
• Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth includes all personal property you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe. Your net worth includes the net worth of your spouse.

And at least one of these must be true about your service:

• You started on active duty before September 8, 1980, and you served at least 90 days on active duty with at least 1 day during wartime, or
• You started on active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions) with at least 1 day during wartime, or
• You were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months

And at least one of these must be true:

• You’re at least 65 years old, or
• You have a permanent and total disability, or
• You’re a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
• You’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income

VA disability compensation

VA disability compensation (pay) offers a monthly tax-free payment to veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military, and to veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. Find out how to apply for and manage the Veterans disability benefits you’ve earned.

If you’re interested in learning more about life at Heather Glen Senior Living in our personal or memory care community, or would like to see our community for yourself, give us a call at (610) 841-4478 or fill out our online form today.