Don’t Miss Out on Veterans Benefits for Seniors

We celebrate Veterans Day again this month. What better time to review the many benefits available to those who have served our country? We tend to think in terms of assistance for servicemembers just exiting the military – education, home loans, and so on. However, senior veterans can take advantage of a wide range of services, some of which are specifically aging-related.

Why Do We Celebrate Veterans Day?

Very few of us are old enough to remember World War I, so we know only from history class that Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th each year because that’s the date the armistice was signed ending the war everyone hoped would end all wars.

And for spell-check fans: Veterans Day is correctly spelled as a plural without an apostrophe. That’s because “it is not a day that ‘belongs’ to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans,” explains the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Federal Veterans Benefits

All veterans services have eligibility requirements, so it’s important to learn more to find out if you qualify and how to apply.

The VA offers a range of healthcare services for elderly veterans, including:

• Geriatrics Program (for vets with complex health issues)
• Long-Term Care
• Home and Community-Based Services
• Nursing Home and Residential Care

You can receive geriatrics or long-term care services at a VA medical center, in the community, or at home. That includes if you live in a senior community such as Magnolia Manor. Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) and Respite Care are programs offered under the Geriatrics and Long-Term Care umbrella, designed to support caregivers of senior vets with restorative time off.

Aid & Assistance (A&A) and Housebound are two separate programs that provide pension supplements to help seniors. Housebound serves those who are essentially confined to their home due to disability. The A&A program serves those who need assistance with daily personal tasks, are in a nursing home, or have significant vision loss.

The National Council on Aging is another excellent resource for more information on benefits for senior veterans. Veterans and any senior can use their free, confidential online screen tool at BenefitsCheckUp.org to search for benefits programs in your area and check your eligibility. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code.

State Veterans Benefits

Along with federal veterans benefits, individual states provide specific benefits for vets. Here in Georgia, the Department of Veterans Service (GDVS), Veteran Field Service Offices (VSO) administers benefits for eligible senior vets and their families, including:

• Property tax exemptions
• Free driver’s licenses and vehicle tags
• Nursing home care for war veterans
• Special hunting and fishing license privileges

Each state also sets its own rules and regulations when it comes to defining assisted living and nursing homes. So, just as it’s important to understand federal eligibility guidelines for senior veteran services, you need to know what’s available in your state.

It’s All About Community

The VA notes that “deciding where to spend the golden years is one of the most important decisions anyone will make.” Among our nine Magnolia Manor communities we count many military veterans. They have chosen to become part of our family to remain close to (or be closer to) family, to socialize with the many veterans and current service members associated with nearby military bases, or simply to enjoy our exceptional mental, physical, and spiritual approach to senior living.

We celebrate our residents every day at Magnolia Manor, but we’ll be giving an extra-smart salute to our veterans on November 11th.

Learn more about Veterans Benefits or senior living at Magnolia Manor by contacting us online or scheduling a free tour today at one of our eight campuses in south Georgia!