Aging Services and Caregiver
Support Resources for Veterans
Julie Bury, LCSW-C, C-SWHC
Assistant Chief of Social Work, Ambulatory and
Emergency Care Clinical Center
VA Maryland Health Care System
Structure of the Department of
Veterans Affairs
 Veterans Health Care Administration
 Veterans Benefits Administration
 National Cemetery Administration
Eligibility for VA Health Care
 “If you served in active military, naval or air service and are
separated under any condition other than dishonorable,
you may qualify for VA health care benefits.”
 “Most Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980 or
entered active duty after October 16, 1981, must have
served 24 continuous months or the full period for which
they were called to active duty to be eligible.....Since there
are a number of exceptions to the minimum duty
requirements, VA encourages all Veterans to apply to
determine their enrollment eligibility.”
 https://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/resources/publicati
ons/hbco/hbco_basic_eligibility.asp
Other Eligibility Information




Service Connected vs. Non-Service Connected
Financial thresholds and co-pays
OEF/OIF/OND Veterans
Not all Veterans are eligible for VA Health Care
Services
VA Maryland Health Care System
Locations
 Baltimore VA Medical Center
 Perry Point VA Medical Center
 Loch Raven VA Community Living and Rehabilitation
Center
 Loch Raven/Fort Howard VA Outpatient Clinic
 Fort Meade VA Outpatient Clinic
 Glen Burnie VA Outpatient Clinic
 Cambridge VA Outpatient Clinic
 Pocomoke City VA Outpatient Clinic
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources
 Homemaker/Home Health Aide
 10 hours/week, often has a waiting list, possible co-payments
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Adult Day Health Care
 2 days/week, often has a waiting list, possible co-payments
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Respite
 In-home and inpatient
 Possible waiting lists and co-payments
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible for in-home respite when funding allows;
only 70-100% Service Connected Veterans are eligible for inpatient respite at
this time
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Home Based Primary Care
 Not currently available on the eastern shore
 Possible waiting list
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Veteran Directed Care
 Partnership with local Departments of Aging
 Consumer directed mix of in-home and community based services
 For Veterans who need skilled services, case management, assistance with
ADLs and/or IADLs, and are isolated or their caregiver is experiencing burden
 Only available in certain counties, often has waiting lists
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Community Residential Care




Assisted Living Facilities, Personal Care Homes, Family Care Homes, Group Living Homes,
and Psychiatric Community Residential Care Homes
Not owned or paid for by the VA, but inspected and approved by VA medical center staff
Not all residents are Veterans
All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Medical Foster Home






Private homes in which a trained caregiver provides services to a few individuals
Serves as an alternative to a nursing home for Veterans who require a nursing home
level of care, but prefer a non-institutional setting with fewer residents
All Medical Foster Home residents receive Home Based Primary Care
Not owned or paid for by the VA, but inspected and approved by VA medical center staff
Not all residents are Veterans
All enrolled Veterans are eligible
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Caregiver Support Program
 Comprehensive Assistance to Family Caregivers—available to caregivers of
service-connected Veterans who served post 9/11/2001 and need care for a serviceconnected injury
 General Caregiver Program—available to caregivers of Veterans of all eras
 Support Groups
 Through Caregiver Support Program and the Dementia Clinic
 Available to all Veterans who are caregivers as well as to caregivers of Veterans
 Caregiver Support Line
 National 24/7 support line 1-855-260-3274
 Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Social Workers
 Every Veteran who is assigned to a primary care provider in the VA also has an
assigned social worker
 VA system navigation assistance; VA resource and referral services; long term care
planning; case management; crisis intervention; etc.
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Home Improvement and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant
 Medically necessary improvements and structural alterations for allowing entrance
or exit to homes; use of essential lavatory and sanitary facilities; allowing
accessibility to kitchen or bathroom sinks or counters; improving entrance paths
or driveways in immediate area of the home to facilitate access to the home
through construction of permanent ramping; and improving plumbing or electrical
systems made necessary due to installation of home medical equipment
 Lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 for Veterans who need alterations and/or
improvements for a service connected condition or for Veterans who have a nonservice connected condition need and are rated 50% or more service connected
 Lifetime benefit of up to $2,000 for Veterans who are not service connected
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Durable Medical Equipment
 Shower chairs, bedside commodes, hospital beds, stair glides, manual and electric
wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps, personal emergency response systems, etc.
 No co-payments for DME
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Hospice
 In-home and inpatient
 No co-payments
 All enrolled Veterans are eligible
 Community Living Centers
 Subacute and acute rehabilitation; respite; hospice; and long term care
 Eligibility is based on clinical need, setting availability, service connected status,
level of disability and income
 Possible co-payments and waiting lists
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 State Veterans Home Program




Charlotte Hall Veterans Home for Maryland
Income based ALF
Nursing home (some financial assistance may be available)
Both Veterans and their spouses are eligible
 Non-Service Connected Pension with Aid and Attendance



Veterans Benefits Administration
Veterans and/or their surviving spouses can be eligible for the non-service connected
pension if the Veteran served during wartime, they are low-income, and are 65 or older
or disabled
Aid and Attendance benefits are paid in addition to the pension when the Veteran or
surviving spouse are housebound or in need of regular assistance with ADLs; are
bedridden; are a patient in a nursing home or assisted living facility; or have certain
eyesight limitations
Aging Services and Caregiver Support
Resources Continued
 Special Monthly Compensation
 Veterans Benefits Administration
 This benefit is comparable to Aid and Attendance for service connected Veterans
and their spouses
 Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans
 Veterans with permanent and total service-connected disabilities can use
these grants to purchase or construct an adapted home or modify an existing
home to accommodate a disability
 Specially Adapted Housing Grant
 Special Housing Adaptation Grant
 Temporary Residence Assistance Grant
Access to VA Aging and Caregiver
Support Services
 Veteran must be enrolled and assigned to a primary care provider to access
most, but not all, of the above services and benefits
 PACT social workers as well as social workers in various specialty programs
throughout the VA are available for assistance with education on and
connecting to VA and community aging and caregiver support services
 Veterans Service Organizations and Veterans Benefits Administration
Personnel are available to assist with Non-Service Connected Pension;
Service Connected Compensation; Aid and Attendance; and Special Monthly
Compensation claims as well as with Housing Grant applications
 Charlotte Hall can be contacted at 301-884-8171 or via www.charhall.org
 VA website can also be used to research and access services www.va.gov
 Encourage early VA enrollment, so it is not a crisis when assistance is needed
Questions?