Understanding your discharge options for care can help you collaborate with your treatment team to make sure you have the best care after you discharge from the hospital. The goal of discharge planning is to ensure you have a smooth transition to a successful recovery.

In this post I’ll be covering the following:

• Why Discharge Planning is Important
• What You Can Expect When Working with a Discharge Planner
• Your Post Hospital Discharge Options

Why Discharge Planning is Important

It may surprise you, but discharge planning happens on the day of admission.

It’s important to plan for discharge as soon as possible because care coordination takes a lot of time as there are a lot of moving parts.

On average a hospital stay is about 3-4 days. A hospital provides short-term acute care for patients with the intent of getting them stable enough to receive further recovery and treatment.

Coordinating care for a patient’s discharge includes:

• talking to the patient
• talking to families
• talking to the treatment team
• working with health insurance companies
• and working with community agencies and facilities

It can be time consuming and hectic, which is why it’s important to start the planning process on the day of admission to the hospital.

When a social worker or case manager meets with you for the first time, they are wanting to discuss potential discharge options with you so that your transition to care is as smooth as possible.

We don’t want to be running around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to make miracles happen. (Myth Buster: Social Workers are NOT miracle makers)

Communicating with your treatment team and discharge planner on a regular basis is vital to make sure your goals are met and you receive the most appropriate post hospital discharge option for your care.

What You Can Expect When Working with a Discharge Planner

Your discharge planner may be a social worker or a nurse case manager. They usually try to see you within the first 24-48 hours of your hospital admission. You can expect that your discharge planner will want to start talking to you about potential discharge plan options.

This is not because they want to kick you out of the hospital.

I promise.

It’s because they want to start the planning process so that there are less complications and bumps to your recovery.

When I meet with patients, I understand that we may not know what the treatment plan is within the first 24-48 hours of admission. So, I talk with patients about the “possible” or “potential” discharge options and plan for all possibilities.

Hopefully all hospital discharge planners take this approach.

They should be talking to you about all possible options for discharge care.

Planning for possible Acute Rehab, Skilled Nursing Facility, Home health care, etc., all at the same time can help set your discharge up for success, even if the treatment team isn’t sure which plan to recommend yet.

This way when it finally is time for discharge, your care is already set up and you don’t have to continue to wait around in the hospital.

Your Post Hospital Discharge Options

There are different levels of care that you can discharge to. The care option you discharge to all depends on the patient’s and family’s goals, the recommendations made by the treatment team and the patient’s health insurance plan.

Each discharge options offers a different level of care. I’ll briefly describe what each discharge option is. You can click the options below for a more in-depth overview of each type.

Long-Term Acute Care Hospital

Acute Rehab Hospital

Skilled Nursing Rehab

Home Health Care

Hospice and Palliative

Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTAC)

A Long-Term Acute Care Hospital is often known by its acronym LTACH or LTAC.

An LTAC provides intensive care for patients who are medically complex and need a longer time to recover in a hospital setting.

The focus of an LTAC is more medical, though they can provide some rehab services. However, an LTAC’s goal is to get the patient to a stable enough condition where they can participate in more intensive rehab care. The average length of stay for an LTAC is 25 days.

Acute Rehab Hospital (ARF/AR)

An acute rehab hospital provides intensive rehabilitation care. They can provide some complex medical care, but the patient needs to be able to participate in a minimum of 3 hours of rehab therapy per day. The focus is rehabilitation to get back to independent functioning and living. The average length of stay is about 1-2 weeks.

Skilled Nursing Rehab (SNF)

A skilled nursing facility or SNF, provides both medical care and rehabilitation care for patients who are not too medically complex. Patients have skilled nursing needs AND have the ability to participate in daily rehabilitation. The rehabilitation patients receive at a SNF is not as intensive as an Acute Rehab Hospital. However, this allows for a patient to recover at a pace they can tolerate. The average length of stay is 2-6 weeks.

Home Health Care

Home Health Care provides skilled care and rehabilitation in the home setting. It provides skilled nursing care for less complex medical needs and some rehabilitation that is not as intensive as a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). These services are provided 3-5 days a week for about an hour per discipline.

Individuals must be safe enough to go home, but may still have some limited medical and rehab needs. Home Health care can be provided at home for as long as progress is being made and for as long as insurance will approve it.

Senior Living Placement

Sometimes patients admit to the hospital and it is determined that they are not safe to go back to their previous living environment. They may not qualify for intensive rehabilitation care, or maybe they simply just need more care than what family can provide. In these situations, social workers and case managers may be able to help find senior living or long-term placement, with the help of the family. Finding Senior Living Placement should really start and take place by the family and before a hospitalization happens.

However, there may be exceptions where it’s not safe for the patient to remain home with the family member and there are no other options. Especially with regards to dementia diagnoses. Behaviors can be difficult and so family may need some extra assistance.

Hospice & Palliative Care

Palliative care may be recommended by the doctor for patients who come in with a chronic illness that may need some extra outpatient support and pain management. Palliative care is a good option for those who have a chronic illness but still want to seek treatment options and need symptom management.

Hospice care at home or a Hospice home/Hospice inpatient care may be recommended for patients who have a terminal illness. Patients with a terminal illness may no longer want to seek treatment options and instead their focus is more for comfort care. Hospice either in the home or going to a specific facility that has inpatient hospice may be the best discharge plan.

Conclusion

As you can see there are several discharge options that may be discussed or recommended by your acute care hospital team. Having regular communication with your treatment team and asking questions is important so that you can be involved in deciding which discharge option is best for you or your loved one.

The post Post Hospital Discharge Options for Care [Updated 2023] appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

As age 65 approaches, you have probably been hearing A LOT about Medicare.

You are now at the official age where you can collect your Social Security Retirement check and can enroll in Medicare.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is the health insurance program funded by the federal government that you have been paying into while employed. Now it’s your turn to collect. You’ve likely been seeing a lot of commercials or promotional mail referring to the Medicare enrollment period.

So what is the Medicare enrollment period?

There are two enrollment periods for Medicare. First is the “Initial Enrollment” period and then there is the “Open Enrollment” period. I’m going to review these two enrollment periods with you. You’ll learn what the differences are and what to do during these periods.

Initial Enrollment Period

Qualifying to receive Social Security benefits also qualifies you to receive Medicare parts A and B. You have the opportunity to enroll in specific plans or opt out of certain parts of Medicare during this time.

The “Initial enrollment period” occurs 3 months before your 65th birthday, your birthday month and 3 months after your 65th birthday.

For example if your birthday is in July, the Initial Enrollment period for signing up for Medicare starts in April. It includes the month of July and ends in October. 

Medicare has several parts to it. There is Medicare part A, Medicare part B, Medicare part C and Medicare part D. These “parts” of Medicare have different functions and provide different services.

Medicare basically offers an “a la carte” health insurance plan when you turn 65. You can decide which services you want to pay extra for and what you don’t want to pay for. Medicare part A is free, but Medicare parts B, C and D do have a premium cost.

The Parts of Medicare

• Medicare Part A- covers inpatient hospital stays, a short stay at a skilled nursing facility for rehab and part of home health care services. There is no out of pocket premium cost for this part of Medicare.

• Medicare Part B- covers doctor’s visits, outpatient services, physical and occupational therapies, and certain medical equipment you may need to recover or for physical safety purposes. There is an out of pocket premium cost for this part of Medicare.

• Medicare Part D- is a prescription plan to help cover the cost of your medications. There is an out of pocket premium but your State may offer an assistance program if the cost is too high.

Ok, so did we have A, B, and D, did they just decide to skip a part C?

No, Medicare part C is considered the Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage plans are private insurance companies that work as a third party to manage your Medicare insurance. Advantage plans basically offer an all-inclusive type of deal rather than Original/Traditional Medicare’s a la carte service.

There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to choosing Medicare part C or a Medicare Advantage plan. You can see the previous posts where we talked about the differences between “Traditional Medicare” and “Medicare Advantage Plans”.

• Medicare Part C- the Medicare Advantage plans, they bundle Medicare parts A, B and D for either a $0 premium or a very low of pocket premium (example: $50 a month). They manage your Medicare plan and determine where you go and what services are appropriate during a medical need. Check out the Medicare Advantage Plans post for more details.

How Much Does Medicare Cost?

I mentioned that Medicare part A is free if you are eligible. Medicare parts B, C, and D have an out of pocket cost. So how much are these out of pocket premiums?

Well, the short answer is, it depends. Ugh, I hate that word, depends. Depends on what?

Just like everything else, it depends on your income. It is determined by your IRS tax returns every year. Just like taxes, the amount of income you report will determine the amount you pay. The sliding scale that is used by social security is known as the “Modified Adjusted Gross Income” or MAGI.

The Medicare Secret No One Tells You…

Here is the deal, there is a catch if you don’t sign up for Medicare parts A, B or D during the initial enrollment period. What no one tells you is that you could face an enrollment penalty later on. This means you may have to pay a higher premium until you DO sign up for the health benefits. Ugh, stupid right?! But it’s important for you to be aware! I don’t want you stuck with extra costs. It’s hard enough surviving on the little income you get from retirement.

Open Enrollment Period

Ok, so you already have Medicare. You’ve had it for a year or several years now. Every year you should be hearing about the magic “open enrollment period”. The Open Enrollment period allows you to make changes to your Medicare plan.

The Medicare enrollment period is from October 15th to December 7th. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, the open enrollment period is the time to change your plan without penalty. This is the best time for you to research all of the current Medicare plans and options to decide which is going to work best for you the upcoming year. 

There are so many options and it can be very overwhelming. Ads and television fill our daily lives influencing our decisions, and healthcare is no different. You may find more advertisements and receive phone calls from various health insurance companies looking for your business.

They are typically selling you Medicare Advantage plans. You can compare all of the Medicare Advantage plans by going to the Medicare.gov website and use their comparison tool.

How to Make Changes to Your Medicare Plan During Open Enrollment

It’s actually pretty simple, you can create a personal account on Medicare.gov. You can also call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). If you have found a Medicare Advantage plan you want to sign up for, you can just call that insurance company or visit their website to sign up for their plan as well.

There are so many things to consider when selecting or switching your Medicare insurance plan. It can be hard to keep track or remember what to look for when making any changes. Here is a short checklist of what you to do or consider during the open enrollment period.

Your Medicare Enrollment Checklist

• Review your current plan and think about what services you have used over the past year
• Review the services offered by Traditional/Original Medicare
• Consider the costs of your medications and compare Prescription plans
• Research the skilled nursing facilities and rehab centers in your area and see which Advantage plans are in-network with the facilities that have the best quality care
• Check to see if your doctor or doctor you plan be established with is in network with the insurance plan you are considering
• If you are going with Traditional/Original Medicare, consider getting a Medigap or Medicare supplement plan
• Compare the overall premium costs of all Medicare plans
• Decide if you are ok with being restricted to only certain providers and allowing the Advantage plans to determine what kind of care you will receive and where

The post What No One Tells You About Medicare Enrollment Period appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

Money management
Planning for your future requires careful consideration of your finances. You can achieve financial stability and independence and be better prepared for unforeseen occurrences like job loss, sickness, or retirement by taking charge of your finances and setting realistic goals. Reducing debt, creating an emergency fund, and investing for the future are a few of the major advantages of financial planning. To get going, think about making a budget, establishing savings objectives, and, if required, consulting a professional.

Exercise and good health

Taking care of your health and wellbeing is a crucial part of making future plans. You can make sure that you are able to live a full life, free from physical limits and chronic illness by choosing a healthy lifestyle and making arrangements for your future medical requirements. Taking care of your health and wellbeing is a crucial part of making future plans. You can make sure that you are able to live a full life, free from physical limits and chronic sickness, by choosing a healthy lifestyle and making arrangements for your future medical requirements.

Career objectives
Planning your career is a crucial aspect of making future plans. Having a well-defined plan and set of objectives will help you succeed and feel satisfied in your work, regardless of where you are in your career or whether you want to go to a different industry. Setting goals for your professional development, connecting with others in your industry, and asking experienced professionals for guidance or mentorship are a few examples of how to do this. You may position yourself for success and achieve your goals by taking proactive actions to prepare ahead and develop your career.

Estate preparation
Estate planning is a crucial component of making future preparations. Making a plan for what will happen to your possessions and assets after your death is required. Estate planning can assist guarantee that your desires are carried out, as well as help your loved ones feel less anxious and uncertain. Writing a will, establishing a trust, appointing a power of attorney, and making preparations for end-of-life care are some of the essentials of estate planning. You can ensure that your desires are honored and that your loved ones will be taken care of after you pass away by making the time to plan beforehand.

Retirement preparation
Planning for your retirement is yet another essential aspect of making future preparations. You may make sure that you can have a comfortable and rewarding retirement by taking charge of your finances and creating achievable goals. Setting savings targets, funding retirement accounts, and consulting a financial advisor are a few examples of this. Systems like Guardianship Arizona, allow for the appointment of a guardian or conservator to manage the personal and financial affairs of an individual who is unable to make decisions for themselves. Planning for retirement can alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that are sometimes associated with retirement and increase your sense of security and confidence about your financial future.

Planned education

Planning your education is an essential aspect of making your future plans, especially if you have family members who will be attending college. You may make sure that your loved ones have access to a top-notch education and are well-prepared for the future by making advance preparations. Setting financial goals for education, requesting financial help, and consulting financial consultants or college planning specialists are a few examples of how to do this. Planning for your education can assist you in making financially responsible decisions and also assist your loved ones in pursuing higher education.

Conclusion

An important part of ensuring a successful and meaningful life is planning for the future. We may make sure we are ready for whatever life may offer by taking charge of our finances, health, and personal affairs. Planning ahead can bring peace of mind and assist us in achieving our goals, whether it is for estate planning, retirement, education, or elder guardianship. Planning ahead can help us position ourselves for success and ensure that we have a happy and wealthy future. Preparing ahead is a proactive, responsible action that can benefit us in the long run and enable us to lead the lives we’ve always wanted.

The post The Benefits of Planning Ahead For Your Future appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

• difficulty having a conversation
• poor judgement
• decision making
• misplacing things
• inability to manage a budget
• behaviors that include wandering, sundowning, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and other behaviors. 

Check out earlier blog posts for more information on Alzheimer’s and Dementia: How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects the Brain & What To Expect In Each Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease

I, however, want to discuss challenges that I see from the perspective of a clinician and a family caregiver (both of which I am and have been).

I’m going to talk about how healthcare professionals and family caregivers can advocate for those with dementia to have an enhanced quality of life.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS

There are many barriers to obtaining an early diagnosis.  The first one that stands out the most to me is the perceived stigma that is attached to dementia. The stigma of dementia will cause an individual to delay the initial diagnosis process. 

There is the belief that memory problems are just part of normal aging. People may be afraid to get diagnosed because of the lack of future it will mean for them. Knowing that there is not a cure yet, can feel like an immediate end to life for that individual.

However, getting an early diagnosis provides time to plan and prepare for future caregiving. Being able to plan, can give individuals and families the opportunity to contribute to the care planning process. 

Understanding the disease can make it easier to seek out resources and create a support system. Additionally, an early diagnosis gives time to make legal and financial arrangements, plan future living arrangements if needed. 

ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS

As a Healthcare Professional, the most frequent question I get asked is: Are Alzheimer’s disease and dementia the same thing? 

No, Alzheimer’s and dementia are not the same thing but rather Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia.   

Dementia is an umbrella term that is used to describe a particular group of symptoms. This includes difficulties with language, problem solving, memory and other thinking skills. 

I use cancer as an example to explain the umbrella term, dementia. 

If I am given a diagnosis of cancer, do I take that general cancer diagnosis, go home and automatically know what is the best course of treatment is?

I can guarantee that if you are given a cancer diagnosis, you are going to expect the doctor to tell you exactly what type of cancer. This helps you and the doctor know what specific area(s) to target and know best how to treat to have the best chance at recovery or quality of life.

So why do we not demand that with a dementia diagnosis?  

When a diagnosis of dementia is given, we just accept that as the official diagnosis and go home. 

Why do we not demand a specific diagnosis? 

To ensure you have an accurate diagnosis, you will be required to take additional tests. You should also be referred to a specialist or memory clinic (much like a Primary Care refers to an Oncologist when you have a cancer diagnosis). 

There is no one specific test that can diagnose dementia or specifically what type of dementia you have.  You will need to go through several cognitive and physical exams.  An official diagnosis should be able to be determined once all test results have been received along with your detailed medical history. 

Why is it important to advocate for a specific diagnosis?

We must do a better job of advocating for a specific diagnosis.  There are over 100 different types of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common of all dementias. 

Without a specific diagnosis, we don’t know the best course of treatment for the most favorable outcome. We won’t know the best care to be provided and how to best enhance the quality of life for that individual living with a type of dementia.   The care provided for AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) is different than that of someone with LBD (Lewy Body Dementia) and the same goes for all other dementias.   

It’s important to know what type of dementia we are caring for, so that we know what to expect with cognitive function, engagement, and potential behavioral symptoms. 

Awareness & Understanding Dementia

Why is it important to raise awareness and understanding of dementia, you ask? 

As the global population is rapidly aging, there is a growing number of people that are developing dementia.   Dementia impacts the individual, who feel they’ve lost their life; the family who cares for the person with dementia; and the community, who deal with the increasing need of care and support for those with dementia.   

Everyone in the community is impacted when there is someone living with dementia.  We as a community must have a better understanding of dementia and promote a dementia friendly society that is accepting of dementia.   

We must not exclude individuals from the community, their friends or family.  Rather, when we understand dementia, we can create dementia friendly businesses and community events that bring the community together to support those living with dementia and their caregivers.  

Understanding helps us to recognize the early signs and reduce the stigma and fear of dementia.   When the stigma is no longer there, so is the social isolation that occurs by both the individual living with dementia and the caregiver and so are the delays in seeking a diagnosis and help.    

Raising Awareness & Understanding in Your Community

How do you raise awareness and understanding of dementia? 

I believe that education and proper training are the best ways to help other develop an understanding of the issues faced by both caregivers and the loved one with dementia. 

We can create dementia friendly communities, by training frontline staff at local service business such as police, banks, grocery stores, restaurants on how to respond to people with dementia in their day-to-day life.  We need to include people with dementia and engage with them.

When we can experience “walking in their shoes”, we are able to develop empathy and compassion for the individual living with dementia and there for provide better care and support for both the individual and the caregiver. 

How to Walk in Their Shoes

I strongly believe that the best way to truly understand is to experience what it is like to “walk in their shoes.” 

This can be done through the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT).  The VDT simulates the effects of aging and dementia through a patented and evidence-based method of building a greater understanding of dementia. 

The VDT creates appreciation of the day-to-day symptoms and challenges facing those with dementia and results in greater understanding.  When we have greater understanding, we set the stage for better care and better quality of life.  

I encourage you to help start that in your community today.  

How Dementia 360 Consulting Can Help

Dementia360 Consulting has helped many families on their dementia journeys. 

Families have been encouraged and given hope as they have developed an understanding of their loved one’s dementia diagnosis and how to provide the best care possible.  

With the tips and tools given, families feel confident and empowered better understanding how to communicate with their loved ones as well as apply non-pharmacological approaches to care.  Families no long feel alone on their dementia journey and have a sense of peace.   

Dementia360 Consulting has helped many healthcare professionals to understand the various types of dementia that they see with their patients and residents. 

Staff are constantly saying that they no longer feel overwhelmed by what they referred to before as behaviors but now they understand that their patients/residents are communicating either verbally or nonverbally their needs through the behaviors they present with to them.  

Healthcare professionals are feeling confident and not as frustrated as they have begun to develop empathy and compassion through the trainings, they have received to help them best understand how to provide great care to their dementia patients/residents.   Staff are excited to say they are dementia certified and trained and feel more valuable as an employee as well.  

Contact us at Dementia360 Consulting or reach out to your local Alzheimer’s Association and start being part of the change.  #BeTheChange.

You can reach us at the following:

Website:  www.Dementia-360.com

Facebook: @Dementia360Cons

Instagram: dementia360_cons

Email:  Christi@Dementia-360.com

The post How to Raise Awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

However, I have seen some controversy on how the “stages” of Alzheimer’s disease are talked about.

I have seen a 3-stage model, a 5-stage model and a 7-stage model. It seems that the different stages describe the same pattern of symptoms, they just might be more detailed.

If you haven’t checked out the post on How Alzheimer’s Diseased Affects the Brain, make sure you do!

This post is going to go through the 3-stage model of the Alzheimer’s disease process. Hopefully this can help guide you in figuring out which stage your loved one may fall into. A caveat, everyone is different, so sometimes you might see some overlap. Take this as a general guide.

What Are the Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

The Alzheimer’s Association describes the disease process into 3 main stages: Early, Middle and Late. Let’s go into some more depth of these stages.

The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease is usually between 4-10 years. Depending on how early the disease is found and diagnosed can change how long someone lives with the disease. Everyone is different, so some people may live shorter and some longer.

When I worked as the social worker for an Alzheimer’s Nursing Home, I had a couple of individuals live with the disease for 20 years!

People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s may experience the different stages at different rates because we are all different. Sometimes the stages can overlap as well.

Early Stage of Alzheimer’s

Sometimes this is called the “mild” form of Alzheimer’s. A person may function at a high capacity. They seem normal and may be still very independent.

In this stage may have difficulty with the following:

• Forgetting where they are or what they were doing
• Misplacing objects
• Difficulty remembering names of new people and sometimes loved ones
• Having a hard time retaining new information
• Difficulty with finding the right word for something
• They may be experience difficulty paying bills or planning their finances

In my experience, I found that people who start to experience these things might start to have more anxiety or may also be embarrassed. They often won’t say anything to anyone and try to cover up these difficulties. In my opinion, this is one of the reasons Alzheimer’s Disease is missed or diagnosed way later than it could have been.

Middle-Stage Alzheimer’s

This is often described as the “moderate” stage of Alzheimer’s Disease. In my personal and professional opinion, this is the stage when family start to realize that something “isn’t right” with their loved one. They start to notice the following symptoms:

• Difficulty with language, confusing words or speaking a string of words that don’t make sense (word salad)
• Are confused on their age, time and personal history
  • Many people may think they are still in their 20’s, 30’s or 40’s and talk about experiences they have had in those years as if it was happening now.
• Experience more mood swings such as sadness, depression, and angry
  • They are likely experiencing these changes in mood because they are having a difficult time communicating their needs and wants.
• Being unaware of the season or time of day
  • Sometimes they will dress themselves or pick out clothing that does not match the current season or weather.
  • Or they may experience sundowning — Sundowning is when an individual experiences difficulty sleeping. Their biological clocks turn upside down. They become more restless and active in the afternoon and evening. And are sleepier in the morning and midday.
• They might start to wander. Leaving the house and become lost
  • This can be especially concerning if they are doing this at night because of the changes in their sleep patterns
• They have more changes in their behavior:
  • Become more physically and verbally aggressive
  • Experience hallucinations
  • Have delusions and paranoia – Many people become paranoid and have delusions about their money and finances
  • Have repetitive behaviors like always fidgeting with something in their hands, tearing up paper, folding laundry over and over, washing the same dish over and over.
  • Saying the same sentence or phrase repeatedly (ie “I want to go home” or “help me”)

Late-Stage (Severe)

Their cognition and memory continue to decline. Usually at this point they require help with everything and need 24/7 supervision and care. The changes they experience include:

• Continued difficulty communicating. Speech is either incoherent or they become non-verbal
• They have no awareness of their surrounds or the people that are around them
• The disease starts affecting the part of the brain that controls voluntary and involuntary movements of muscles and organs.
• They may require a wheelchair or become bed bound
• Have difficulty feeding themselves or swallowing; requiring someone to feed them for every meal
• Become more susceptible to illness and infections
• Often they may experience an infection that may cause death before the disease itself does

Additional Resources About Alzheimer’s Disease

Keep out an eye for more posts on the blog about Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. I plan to go more in depth with the stages of Alzheimer’s disease, how to handle behaviors and help for caregivers.

If you are needing more immediate help and information, contact the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Hotline at 800.272.3900 or visit www. Alz.org

Check out the Alzheimer’s Project & Dementia 360

The post What To Expect In Each Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

We may have heard that losing your memory is normal when we get a certain age. We might forget where we put something or forget why we entered a room.

This is true. As we age, we might experience some forgetfulness and that is normal. But Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are not a normal part of aging. They affect a person’s memory, behavior, personality and brain in a way that can be devastating both for that individual and their family.

This blog post is going to answer the questions so many people have when we get older….

• What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
• What is Dementia and what’s is the difference between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
• What causes dementia and Alzheimer’s?
• How does Alzheimer’s lead to death?

The best way to explain Alzheimer’s Disease is to first understand how the human brain works. How does Alzheimer’s Disease affect the brain?

Let’s Talk About the Brain

First off, it’s important to understand how our brains work normally. Then we can look at how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain and our bodies.

The human brain weighs about 3 pounds and is made up of neurons. These are cells that make up the brain and send messages to each other, commanding the body to function the way it does.

The arms you see coming out of the cell above are called dendrites. These dendrites use electrical and chemical signals between each other. They use these signals to coordinate the various functions of your body.

This video is a great video that explains how neurons work in an easy to understand way!

The Different Parts and Functions of the Brain

The brain is actually quite complex. There are many parts and aspects to the brain. But to keep things simple for the sake of your sanity and for the sake of explaining Alzheimer’s disease, We’ll divide the brain up into 3 main parts.

1. First is the Brain Stem

When we are inside the womb, our brainstem is what develops first. The brainstem is essentially responsible for all of our involuntary responses such as :

• Breathing
• Body Temperature
• Digestion
• Sleeping
• Eating/Swallowing
• Defecating
• Processing sensory information

2. Right above the brain stem sits a part of the brain called the Cerebellum. This is the next part of our brain that develops.

• This part of the brain is responsible for
• Balance
• Coordination
• Muscle Control
• Controlling Voluntary movements

3. The largest part of the brain is the part you think of when you think of a brain. It is made up of white and gray matter and has the various folds you see on a brain. This is called the Cerebrum.

• The Cerebrum is divided into 4 general regions. Each region has a specific responsibility that is considered “more complex” than the brain stem and cerebellum.

The 4 Lobes of the Cerebrum

Each part of the lobe is responsible for various functions.

Frontal Lobe – problem solving, emotional traits, reasoning and judgement, speaking, voluntary motor activity

Parietal Lobe — Spatial awareness, knowing right from left, sensations, reading, body orientation

Occipital Lobe – Vision and color perception

Temporal Lobe – Language, behavior, memory and hearing

What is Alzheimer’s?

Now that we have a brief understanding of how our brain functions and what I controls, we can talk about the cause of Alzheimer’s and what it is.

Alzheimer’s disease is a disease is one of the causes of Dementia. What is Dementia? Dementia is an umbrella term for the loss of memory, language, and other cognitive abilities. Dementia are the symptoms of different disease. There are 4 main types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common.

What is the Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease?

As of right now, research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease develops when certain proteins in the brain clump together and build up to form what are called plaques and tangles. Plaques and tangles get in the way of the communication between neurons and can eventually cause the neurons to die.

You know how they say if you don’t use it, you lose it? It’s similar with our brain. The neurons that make up our brain need to “exercise” or communicate with one another. When they are unable to , the cell dies.

As the cells die in the different parts of our brain, it causes problems with the functioning responsibilities of each part of the brain. It often starts in the brain where our memories are stored and travels throughout the different lobes of our brain.

There is a predictable pattern of what parts of the brain are affected when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease. This can also be the case with other forms of Dementia.

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?

Remember, Dementia is an umbrella term that describes the symptoms that are caused by Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dementia = Symptoms

Alzheimer’s Disease= the cause of the symptoms

Can You Die From Alzheimer’s Disease?

Yes. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative process that results in death. Eventually it spreads to the part of the brain that controls eating, drinking, muscle and organ control.

What is the life Expectancy of a Person With Alzheimer’s Disease?

Research shows that from the time of diagnosis, the disease can last anywhere between 4-10 years. This makes it very difficult, not only for the person with the disease, but their loved ones. Sometimes catching it early allows medical professionals to treat the symptoms and maybe allow for more time. I’ll talk about this more in future posts.

If you are a caregiver struggling with caring for a loved one with memory loss, check out the Alzheimer’s Association for resources and help. They have a great caregiver support hotline to help you through those really hard times!

Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Hotline: 1-800-272-3900

The post How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects the Brain appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

I work with many of these caregivers on a daily basis. I can see the exhaustion in their face, the hopelessness in their eyes, the guilt in their voice. Caregiving is the most difficult thing to do, in my opinion. It is both physically and emotionally taxing.

According to an AARP survey, about 40% of caregivers felt emotionally stressed and experienced burnout.

This includes caregivers caring for our Veterans. I would say in some ways, caregivers for Veterans may experience a higher rate of burnout. Caring for someone who has either been diagnosed or treated for PTSD and other chronic mental illnesses that Veteran’s experience, is more than exhausting. Sometimes it is down right scary.

More credit, love, caring, understanding and help need to given to caregivers. Especially caregivers of Veterans. So in this post I’m going to go over some Caregiver Help & Support programs through the VA.

Every circumstance is different, but here are some VA resources to help get you started on obtaining some help as a caregiver.

Caregiver Help Programs

I have been surprised to learn about so many resource for Veterans within the VA system. I was even more surprised to learn about some programs specifically designed for caregivers of Veterans. These are programs you may or may not know about. But I’m hoping to give you some more details and insight into these programs.

The question I get most often is, will the VA pay for a Caregiver?

The answer lies below in many forms. We will talk about all of them.

There are three main options available to help caregivers and support them through the VA.

VA Caregiver Support Program

So under the VA Caregiver Support Program, there are 2

1. Program General Caregiver Support Services

This program helps support caregivers of Veterans who are enrolled in VA Healthcare. If you are unsure the Veteran you are caring for is enrolled in the VA Healthcare program, you can ask the Veteran to contact the VA system in your area. If you are caring for a Veteran who has not yet enrolled in the VA Healthcare program, here is a post that provides information on what it is and how to apply for this benefit: “6 VA Benefits for Veterans”.

Once a Veteran is enrolled in the VA Healthcare benefits, the caregiver or the Veteran can contact the closest VA health system and ask to speak with the Caregiver Support Program (CSP).

The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) team will help you navigate their services and get access to resources to help you care for the Veteran.

Services through the Program General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) include the following:

• Connecting with other Caregivers for Peer Support and Mentoring
• Various Skills Training for Caregivers of Veterans
• Text Messaging and Phone support to help manage the stressors of being a caregiver
• One on One Coaching for Caregivers to ensure self-care
• Group Support
• Providing Information and Access to Resources for Caregivers both through the VA and in the Community

2. Program Comprehensive Assistance Family Caregivers

The Program Comprehensive Assistance Family Caregivers (PCAFC) benefit is for Caregivers of Veterans who are enrolled in the VA Healthcare program AND have a Service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher.

To learn more about Service-connected disability rating, check out “How Veterans can Apply for Tax-Free VA Disability Compensation”.

This program provides the same services and resources as the PGCSS program as mentioned above. However, the additional resource is a financial stipend for caregivers. So as a caregiver for an eligible Veteran you can get paid to be their caregiver.

Additionally caregivers of Veterans who are eligible for this program may also receive mental health counseling, financial assistance for any travel and lodging expenses necessary for Veteran’s healthcare appointments, CHAMPVA Healthcare benefits and at least 30 days per year of respite care for the Veteran.

To apply for this program, Caregivers and Veterans need to complete the VA Form 10-10CG or you can apply online: HERE.

Aid and Attendance & Housebound Pension

Veterans who are not eligible for the Program Comprehensive Assistance Family Caregivers (PCAFC) may qualify for a different option of financial assistance.

Through Aid and Attendance, Veterans can receive a special monthly pension. They can use this special pension to help pay for care either by a in-home caregiver or sometimes used to help pay for an Independent Living or Assisted Living Facility.

Some Veterans can receive up to $1,500 per month for this special pension or stipend. This money does not go directly to the caregiver, instead it is given to the Veteran and the Veteran decides how to utilize it for his care.

There are requirements a Veteran must meet to qualify for this pension:

At least one or more of the following are true–

• Veteran requires help to perform activities of daily living including: bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting etc
• The Veteran’s disability requires Veteran to stay in bed when not receiving treatment
• The Veteran is in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
• The Veteran is blind

If a Veteran is Housebound and they have a single permanent disability rating of 100%, they can qualify for a similar benefit called the Housebound Benefit.

To apply for either one of these benefits, the Veteran will need to complete the VA Form 21-2680 and mail it to the correct Regional Office.

Geriatrics & Extended Care program- Respite Care/ Nursing Home respite

There are also a few programs that are under the VA’s Geriatric & Extended Care programs. There are usually specific criteria that have to be met. Some VA locations can be more lenient on criteria, you just have to ask.

Veteran Directed Care Program

The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program is one that services eligible Veterans who are at risk of nursing home placement. The Veteran may need assistance with activities of daily living, personal care, help with meals and transportation to appointments.

The VDC provides a budget to the Veteran and is geared more towards giving the Veteran the ability to direct their own care. The Veteran doesn’t actually receive this “budget” in their bank account.

Rather, the VA works in conjunction with programs that are part of the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services program.

If you don’t know what this program is, check out the post: “7 Services Through Medicaid to Help Seniors Stay Independent”.

Essentially the VA contracts with your area’s community aging services to provide case management services for the Veteran. They also contract with a financial management service to make sure the caregivers are paid.

The Veteran is responsible for arranging the care with the caregivers to meet their needs. And then the caregivers have to turn in time sheets to the Veteran or an authorized representative so that they can get paid through the financial management service.

A frequent question that is asked is, Can a Family member get paid for taking care of a Veteran?

Yes! Veterans often can hire friends, family or neighbors to be their caregiver with this program.

Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care Program

This is a program through the VA that can send a trained person from an agency to come and help with personal care and daily activities. Usually the VA will approve between 4-12 hours per week, depending on the level of care needed.

If a Veteran is working towards recovery at home and needs extra help, often times they can be set up with the Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care program in addition to Skilled Home Health Care services.

See “Beginner’s Guide to Home Health Care Services” to understand what skilled home health is.

Adult Day Health Care

Day care isn’t just for children. It’s also a program for adults. It’s geared towards their needs as an adult for socialization, physical health, and encourages creativity.

Adult Day Healthcare is a program that a Veteran can attend during the day for all of these things. This can help caregivers get a break and avoid burnout.

Veterans may go half a day or a full day, typically up to 5 days a week. This all depends on your local VA system though.

The VA usually contracts with local Adult Day programs in your local area. So it’s best for you to reach out to the closest VA and ask to speak with a social worker about this benefit.

Respite Care

Some Veterans may meet eligibility to receive respite care for 30 days per calendar year. Those 30 days can be split up or used all together for that year.

Respite care can either be by receiving care at home or at a nursing home. The VA may pay for a caregiver to provide care for the Veteran for up to 6 hours at a time. This can give the primary caregiver a break to relax, run errands, or just have time to themselves.

Nursing Home Respite care takes place in a nursing home. So the Veteran stays in a room at a nursing facility while receiving 24 hours of skilled care. This allows caregivers to get out of town for a few days without worrying about the Veteran.

For more information on what Respite care is, Check out: “5 Ways to Pay for Respite Care for Caregiver Relief”.

The Bottom Line

The VA has several different programs to help support Caregivers who are caring for Veterans. Caregiver help from a family member, agency, program or facility are accessible to eligible Veterans.

Be aware that sometimes there may be a co-pay required to receive some of these services. It depends on the Veteran’s Service Connected Disability and their Priority Group.

You can gain access to these programs and find out if a Veteran qualifies for any of these services by contacting your local VA health system and asking to speak with a social worker.

Caregivers can get paid by the VA to care for a Veteran. Caregivers can also get additional peer support and training by the VA. Additionally Veterans may qualify for different financial programs that help pay for the care and support they need.

Ultimately the goals it to help Veterans stay in their home for as long as possible while promoting quality care and safety.

The post Caregiver Help & Support Programs Through The VA appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

This is something many people fear. People have a fear of being a burden to those they love.

For many Veterans I have worked with, this is most certainly true.

Veterans, once individuals who valiantly served in America’s armed forces and were providers for their families, are now requiring help. They are having to depend on others.

Families and loved ones of Veterans who are experiencing a loss of independence may struggle with caring for their needs. As care needs increase, stress rises and families and Veterans look for options.

Sometimes the next option is looking into Long Term Care facilities.

Keep reading to learn about what the VA system has to offer Veterans in terms of long term care and nursing homes. I’ll also go over Veterans eligibility for nursing care, the VA benefits for Long Term Care and if the VA pays for Nursing Home Care.

Long Term Care Options

There are 3 options for long term care that serve Veterans.

1. VA Contract Nursing Homes
2. State Veteran Homes
3. Non-VA Nursing Homes in the Community

VA Contract Nursing Homes

There are nursing homes in the community that the VA contracts with in order to provide long term care placement for Veterans who are eligible.

These nursing homes are not Veteran-ONLY nursing homes, rather they are nursing homes anyone can go to in your community. The difference is the contract with the VA. The VA will pay for the nursing home placement for eligible Veterans.

In order for the VA to pay for nursing home care, the facility must be contracted with the VA. The Veteran must also meet eligibility requirements.

VA Contract Nursing Home Eligibility

In order to be eligible to be placed in a VA contracted nursing home, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must have at least a 70% or more service-connected rating.

• If you are not sure what a service-connected rating is, please check out the post “How Veterans Can Apply for Tax-Free VA Disability Compensation” for details.

OR

• You have a 60% service-connected rating AND you have a permanent disability and are deemed unemployable by the VA You must require assistance with at least 2 of your activities of daily living (ie, bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, transfers, eating, meal preparation etc)

• If you meet these requirements, you may be eligible for the VA to pay for your nursing home care in a VA contracted facility.

If you don’t meet the above criteria, you can still have the VA pay for nursing home placement if you require Hospice care.

If a Veteran needs a nursing home and is on Hospice, the VA can approve a 6 month Hospice Contract with a VA contracted Nursing home. This of course has to be approved by the VA and you will need to talk to the VA’s Hospice coordinator.

For a list of VA Contracted Nursing Homes in your area, contact your local VA and ask to speak with a social worker for this list.

How Much does the VA pay for Nursing Home Care?

Typically, if you are at least 70% Service Connected you will not have any co-pays or out of pocket expenses for your nursing home care. The VA will pay the FULL amount of your nursing home care.

Unlike Medicaid, where you have to give your full income amount to the nursing home while Medicaid pays for the difference, the VA does not require you to pay anything.

So you can continue to collect your VA monthly compensation while the VA pays for your nursing home care in full.

This can be beneficial for spouses or other family members who rely on your income to survive.

If you meet the criteria of being 60% service-connected and you have a permanent disability and deemed unemployable, you may have a co-pay.

You co-pay will likely be small. Ranging from $5 to $97 per month. Your co-pay amount for nursing home placement is dependent on your priority group.

You can find more information about the priority group at: https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/priority-groups/

If you feel that you cannot afford the co-pay, you can complete the VA Extended Care form called 10-10 EC. You can also request for Hardship Determination using the VA Form 10-10 HS.

What If You Don’t Meet the VA Eligibility Requirements for Nursing Home Care?

If you are less than 60% service-connected but are needing nursing home level of care, you have 3 options.

• You can apply for the Aid and Assistance Program — This is a program that provides the applying Veteran a financial stipend to help pay for care at home or at a facility. You can get up to around $1,500 a month. Some people use this towards in-home care, assisted living care or nursing home care.

• You can apply for Medicaid if you are low-income. Check out the post on The Difference Between Medicare and Medicaid for eligibility information to apply for Medicaid.

• And you can request for compensation increase of your current service-connection. Check out the VA disability chart to help determine which VA disability claim you need to file.

State Veteran Homes

One of the most common misconceptions about State Veterans Homes is the belief that they are part of the VA system.

This is incorrect. They are not run by the VA at all. Instead they are run by each individual State. This means that each State has their own set of eligibility requirements.

There are certain States that may allow non-Veteran spouses or gold star parents to admit to the State Veteran Nursing Home. It all depends on the State’s requirements.

Check out the National Association of State Veterans Homes for a director of State Homes.

Typically your service-connected rating does not always determine your eligibility for admission to a State Veterans Nursing Home. So again, make sure to check out each state’s requirements.

The VA doesn’t pay for this nursing home, so it is not the same as a VA contracted nursing home.

Non-VA Nursing Homes in the Community

Another option to consider for nursing home placement for Veterans is any non-VA contracted nursing home. There are likely several nursing homes in your community that you could go to.

Often it depends on your ability to pay for nursing home level of care. If you have a Long Term Care policy, you can use this to help pay for nursing home level of care.

If you can’t afford this care out of pocket from savings, you may need to consider applying for Medicaid.

If you are looking into nursing homes for placing a Veteran or any loved one, make sure you check out these posts for helpful tips:

Are Skilled Nursing Facilities the Same as Nursing Homes?

Top 15 Questions to Ask a Skilled Nursing Facility

3 Senior Living Options You Should Consider

3 Ways to Handle Problems with a Nursing Home

The post 3 Long Term Care Options for Veterans appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

Over 37,000 Veterans in the U.S. experienced homelessness in the year 2019. This is 8% of the total homeless population reported in the U.S. according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Although is 50% less from the year 2009. That’s 37,000 Veterans experiencing homeless is a lot!

However, the VA and other community housing and Veteran programs have been working diligently to put roofs over the heads of homeless Veterans. And obviously, it has made an impact in the last 10+ years.

Hopefully we can continue on this trajectory and end homelessness, not just for Veterans but for all U.S. citizens.

If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who is at risk of homelessness, I’m going to go over some resources that may be helpful for you. These are resources that are available through the VA and non-VA organizations. If you want to continue to receive updates on other resources, make sure you sign up for my Newsletter!

VA Homeless Programs

So there are 2 main homeless programs offered through the VA.

1. Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program
2. HUD-VASH (Housing & Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing)

Let’s review the differences and eligibility requirements.

HCHV program

The HCHV program is specifically geared towards homeless Veterans who also need residential treatment for a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorders. The purpose of this program is to ensure the Veteran’s basic needs are met. When the basic needs are met, Veterans can focus more towards their treatment, instead of worrying about homelessness, safety and food.

There are community short-term residential treatment programs and shelters that partner with the VA to help homeless Veterans.

You can contact your local VA and ask to speak with someone in their Health Care for Homeless Veterans program. You can also call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)

HUD-VASH program

HUD (Housing & Urban Development) and the VA partner together provide public housing vouchers to eligible Veterans. There are a limited number of vouchers that are awarded to this program, and depending on your geographic area and need will determine how soon an eligible Veteran can get a voucher.

The HUD-VASH vouchers work the same as HUD vouchers. HUD is typically known as section 8 housing. A HUD voucher is a subsidy that is paid directly to the participating landlord. The amount can vary depending on a Veteran’s income and the actual rent charged by the landlord. Typically the voucher covers a portion of the rent, and then the Veteran makes up the difference with their own income.

For example, if the landlord charges $800 a month for rent, and the Veteran’s voucher covers $500 of the rent. The Veteran only needs to pay to landlord $300 a month.

In addition to receiving a voucher, the VA provides case management services to the Veteran. They can help them work on skills to maintain their independence and avoid future homelessness.

HUD-VASH eligibility

Because there are limited vouchers, there is not enough for everyone. There are eligibility requirements that determine whether a Veteran can enter the HUD-VASH program.

Eligibility criteria include:

• Veteran must be eligible for VA Healthcare services

• Veteran must meet the federal definition of homelessness
  • Federal definition of homelessness is: a person/people who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, street, automobile or have received documentation of eviction from the court.

• Veteran must meet income guidelines determined by Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Veteran cannot be listed on or required to register with the National Sexual Offenders Registry

• Veteran must be independent with their care and complete their activities of daily living (ADLs)

• Veteran must possess a need for intensive case management services to sustain independent community housing

If you or someone you know meets this requirement and are in need of permanent housing, make sure you ask to speak with a social worker at your local VA medical center or clinic.

Other Homeless Assistance for Veterans

There are some other programs outside of the VA that can help homeless Veterans as well.

The programs vary state by state, but a good start may be to contact one of the Veteran Service Organization groups. They may be aware of local organizations in your community that offer programs to homeless Veterans.

Check out the post about “How Veterans Can Apply for Tax-Free VA Disability Compensation” for more information about Veteran Service Organizations (VSO).

Some national programs to consider include:

• The American Red Cross
• Catholic Charities
• Salvation Army
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

Also check out the Veterans Community Project. They build and provide tiny home neighborhoods for Veterans. They have several locations and are growing with donations. If you have the ability, I would encourage you to donate to this amazing project and help change homeless Veterans’ lives.

If you have a primary care physician established with your local VA, you are typically assigned an outpatient social worker. Your VA social worker should be able to connect you to local homeless resources as well.

Check out the other posts on Veteran Services:

6 VA Benefits You Can Receive as a Veteran

How Veterans Can Apply for Tax-Free VA Disability Compensation

How VA Home Loans Work for Veterans & Their Spouses

The post Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans appeared first on Senior Planning Online.

The VA offers a couple of housing programs. The types of programs offered can vary by VA system. So you may need to locate your nearest VA and talk with a social worker or case manager for more information about specific housing programs.

Also, if you haven’t already, make sure to checkout my other posts:

6 VA Benefits You Can Receive as a Veteran

How Veterans Can Apply for Tax-Free VA Disability Compensation

Today I’m going to first go over the programs for Veterans looking to buy a house. Later I will address programs for Veterans who are at risk for homelessness in another post. So sign up for my Newsletter if you haven’t already so you can stay informed!

VA Home Loan & Assistance Programs

Most people have heard that they can get a VA home loan to buy a house. This is a common question especially since the housing market is so hot right now.

I think there is a misconception of what a VA home loan is and how to get one. So I’m going to go over this.

First of all, often people mistake a loan for a grant. Those are 2 completely different things.

A Loan- is money that you BORROW and MUST pay back, with interest

A Grant– is money that you are awarded for something specific and DO NOT have to pay back

The VA does not offer Home Grants. They are strictly loans.

What are the Advantages of a VA loan?

So a VA loan is really a VA-backed home loan. Meaning, the VA serves as a guarantor or co-signer for a part of your home loan. You still have to get a loan from a VA approved lender. And you still have to make mortgage payments to that private lender.

However, lenders are more willing to provide a loan knowing that even if your loan goes into forbearance or foreclosure, the VA will still pay a portion of that loan to the lender.

Another benefit of getting a VA-backed home loan is typically you don’t have to have a down payment for the home. Again, this is because the VA is guaranteeing that a portion of the loan you are taking out will be paid for by the VA if something happens.

VA Funding Fees

You may still have to pay a down payment, but the down payment you do make is significantly less than the 20% private lenders require.

Although you don’t have to pay the 20% down payment, you still have a VA funding fee. This fee helps lower the cost of the loan since down payments or monthly mortgage insurance is not required for a VA loan.

It’s a one time payment, and you can either pay it in full at once at closing, negotiate who will pay that fee with the seller, or you can finance it and include it in your monthly mortgage payments.

The rate of the VA funding fee you pay depends on the amount you plan to put as a down payment.

If this is your first time getting a VA home loan, see the chart below to find out how much your funding fee is:

If this isn’t your first time getting a VA home loan, the chart below contains your rates:

You may not have to pay the VA funding fee at all if you meet the following criteria:

• You are receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability
• You are receiving military retirement or active-duty pay, but are eligible to receive VA compensation for a service connected disability
• You are a service member on active duty who received the Purple Heart on or before the closing date of the loan
• You are a surviving spouse of a Veteran and are receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

Is it hard to get approved for a VA home loan?

Let’s talk about eligibility. If you are eligible for a VA loan, you’ll likely get one. Although a down payment is not required, it is encouraged as we previously discussed due to the VA funding fee.

To find out if your are eligible for a VA home loan, you will need to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

You can apply for this certificate at Eligibility Requirements For VA Home Loan Programs | Veterans Affairs

After you receive a COE, you will need to find a lender that works with VA home loans. An easy way to find one is by contacting your Regional Loan Center Contact Information – VA Home Loans online or by calling 1-877-827-3702.

You will need the COE to provide the lender as proof of VA home loan eligibility.

Is a Surviving Spouse Eligible for a VA Home Loan?

A surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran can apply for a VA home loan as well. The spouse will need to apply for the COE as well.

You are eligible if you meet any of the following requirements:

• The Veteran was missing in action
• The Veteran is a prisoner of war (POW)
• The Veteran died while in service or from a service-connected disability AND you did not remarry OR you did not remarry until after you were 57 years old
• The Veteran had been totally disabled, and then died, but the disability may not have been the cause of death.

I Said The VA Does Not Offer Grants But….

Ok, so I mentioned earlier that the VA does not provide VA home grants. This is true in the sense that the VA does not give out grants for you to buy a house.

I have found that his is a common misconception people have. I have received countless calls from Veterans and families stating that they were told the VA gives Veterans free houses.

Oh my…..

This is definitely NOT true.

The VA provides home LOANS to help you purchase a house.

The VA has housing GRANTS, to help Veterans with a service-connected disability adapt their current house to meet their disability needs.

If a Veteran is eligible for a VA housing grant, this is free money given by the VA that MUST be used for widening doorways, installing ramps, and make handicap accessible changes.

This is called a Specially Adapted Housing grant or SAH.

There are requirements you have to meet to be eligible for this grant, and the current total maximum amount you can receive is $20,215 for FY 2021.

If you are an eligible Veteran but living in a family member’s home, you can apply for a Temporary Residence Adaptation grant (TRA). You can apply for either of these grants online at Disability Housing Grants For Veterans | Veterans Affairs (va.gov).

I hope this information was helpful. Please reach out to me if you have further questions or need clarification. Also, make sure to sign up for my Newsletter so you can stay up to date about new upcoming blog posts and resources!

The post How VA Home Loans Work for Veterans & Their Spouses appeared first on Senior Planning Online.