Any next step options I am not exploring for a military parent with advanced Alzheimers?

[Anonymous]

I wanted to check here to see if I can find any options for an elderly parent living at home with advanced Alzheimer's. Earns too much for Medicaid, but very hard to keep at home right now. So far I have:

- 24/hour private duty nurse at home (private pay)
- Memory care facility (private pay)

Is there something else that would be covered by Tricare or Medicare that I don't know about? He qualifies for hospice but my understanding is that he wouldn't be able to be in in-hospice care until the very end.

Any good places to recommend? Looking in Arlington or McLean.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

There’s an Aid and Attendence benefit for veterans, but it has an asset maximum. I think it’s around $150k this year. They don’t count the home value, it looks at liquid assets if I recall correctly. I don’t think it has an income limit. There’s more information here - https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/

[Anonymous]

What are his income and assets? I assume there’s no LTC insurance?

[Anonymous]

I would contact the Office on Aging where he lives for advice on benefits for care/housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s an Aid and Attendence benefit for veterans, but it has an asset maximum. I think it’s around $150k this year. They don’t count the home value, it looks at liquid assets if I recall correctly. I don’t think it has an income limit. There’s more information here - https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/

There are some benefits if he is va qualified. Not all retirees are va qualified.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, all. I will look into the VA benefits

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at memory care at Vinson Hall?

https://www.vinsonhall.org/memory-care-mclean

[Anonymous]

Any chance his health conditions are related to agent orange or other military exposure? He could get more benefits with vet related disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I think he would eligible for the Sylvestry which is a part of Vinson Hall. Will look into it more.

I am unsure about whether he was exposed to Agent Orange because I don't know where he was during Vietnam. However, it doesn't look like Alzheimer's or dementia is a condition presumed to be caused by Agent Orange vs some others like Parkinsons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, all. I will look into the VA benefits

If he is not registered with the va he cannot get benefits. Not all retirees get va benefits.

[Anonymous]

When I looked into Aid and Attendance for my dad with dementia, I remember the person I spoke to mentioned that they had to have served during a war, no requirement for actually fighting, just serving during wartime. He didn't met the asset limits, so I don't have any additional details.