You may qualify for financial aid to help cover the costs of Assisted Living or Memory Care. The VA Aid & Attendance Benefit is a special "monthly pension" available to U.S. wartime veterans or surviving spouses of wartime veterans who currently need the aid and attendance of a caregiver to meet their daily needs.

Even if you were not injured during your time in the service, you still may qualify.

How do you qualify for the benefit?

• The veteran or surviving spouse requires the aid of another person to perform at least two activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, undressing, or eating.
• The veteran or surviving spouse must spend the financial assistance on out-of-pocket medical expenses – including Assisted Living or Memory Care.
• The veteran served at least 90 days of active duty and one of those days was during a recognized period of war. The veteran must have been honorably discharged.
• The veteran (and spouse) or the surviving spouse have less than $80,000 in assets, excluding their primary residence and vehicle. (This is a guideline only. The VA looks at a claimant's total net worth, life expectancy, income and medical expenses to determine whether the veteran or surviving spouse is entitled to special monthly pension benefits. Every case is considered individually.)

2011 monthly Aid & Attendance rates:

Single Veteran $1,704
Married Veteran $2,020
Widowed Surviving Spouse $1,094

This money is very attainable. There is no cost involved in applying for this benefit. The VA pays this pension directly to the claimant. The application is lengthy. Your local Highgate Community Resources Coordinator is happy to assist qualifying Highgate residents to apply for this benefit. Highgate works with several benefits administrators that can help families fill out the application and collect all the necessary documents. Medical forms signed by a doctor and stating that the veteran is in need of daily living assistance are very important documents that must be included for approval. To learn more, contact the Community Relations Coordinator at your local Highgate community.

Highgate is committed to helping seniors get the most out of life. This can mean offering advice on ways to age more happily and healthfully, connecting families and residents to professionals who specialize in senior care, suggesting financial partners and solutions to help make ends meet, and linking people to various topics of interest and concern in regards to senior living choices.

Click on the links below for the resources that best suit your needs. Or, call the community nearest you and ask for help. Senior living is not just our passion, it's our expertise.