Elderly Veterans Enjoy Independence Thanks to Home Care Benefits

The freedom that our nation celebrates on the Fourth of July has been preserved by generations of U.S. troops in conflicts across the globe. This holiday, a local homecare agency is ensuring elderly Veterans can remain independent by utilizing programs that pay for their care. For over two decades, Assisted Living Services, Inc. (ALS) in Cheshire, Fairfield and Clinton has been caring for Connecticut Veterans and educating them about Veterans programs that can help alleviate the financial burden of family caregiving.

“ALS is all too familiar with the fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Veterans today that are completely unaware of the many federal and state Veteran benefits available to them, as well as their spouses,” said Mario D’Aquila, MBA and Chief Operating Officer of Assisted Living Services, Inc. “The most overlooked benefit may be Aid and Attendance.”

D'Aquila explains Aid and Attendance can be used to pay for a Veteran’s care at home, or at an assisted living or nursing home facility. The benefit is tax-free and in addition to Social Security and other income. The Vet must require help with some activities of daily living (ADL's) such as, but not limited to: bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, etc.

According to Veteran Aid, Veterans who served on active duty for at least 90 consecutive days, including at least one full day during a time of war, may be eligible if they also qualify for the basic Veterans Pension and meet the clinical and financial requirements. Service in a combat zone is not a requirement. Widowed spouses of eligible veterans may also qualify if they meet the requirements and have not remarried.

Additionally, the CT Adult Family Living (AFL) program pays family members to provide care. Assisted Living Services is a credentialed provider of the program that is part of the Department of Social Services’ Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE). ALS gives caregivers the “tools” needed to be successful at caregiving, along with a tax-free stipend of over $500 per week. In order to qualify, applicants must be a Connecticut resident, 65 years of age or older, at risk of nursing home placement, meaning, the applicant needs assistance with critical personal care such as bathing, dressing, eating, taking medications, toileting or transferring, as well as meet the program’s financial eligibility criteria.

For Veterans in need of care, D’Aquila notes the first step is assessing the home environment. ALS offers a free home safety inspection using a Quality Assurance Visit Checklist to make sure any areas of weakness are identified and corrected.

“We focus on the main risk factors that impact seniors and individuals with disabilities the most: falls, medication compliance, fire safety, and rapid access to emergency care,” said D’Aquila.
Based on the findings, a Plan of Care will be created. Of course, people are all different, as are their needs, so each client’s plan is personalized.”

For example, if a client is in a weakened state from a recent setback or hospitalization, or is at risk for falls, ALS will have one of its Assistive Technologies Specialists from sister company Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. reach out to consult on various technological options that can supplement personal care. Such devices may include electronic medication dispensers that remind patients to take medication, mobile emergency devices that help seniors feel comfortable leaving the house, personal emergency response systems with fall detection technology that can automatically call 911 if the person is unable dial the phone, and electronic cooking and fire monitors that will automatically turn off an electric stove that is left unattended. D’Aquila notes that all technologies are provided at no cost as part of the ALS CarePlus plan.

ALS has also demonstrated its appreciation for Veterans in the Connecticut community by creating a fund that supports a group of Veterans attending Quinnipiac University on the G.I. bill. Further, the company has established a Veterans lounge at the school that is stocked with essential supplies like toothpaste, toothbrushes, toiletries, snacks and coffee and serves as a central forum where students can connect, study and lend support to one another.

Lastly, ALS can also help with a Veteran’s transition from hospitals and rehab centers back home or to a skilled nursing facility, working collaboratively with discharge planners and social workers.

“Our service men and women made great sacrifices for all of us. Now is the time to take care of them,” concluded D’Aquila. “We consider it our duty and an honor to help them age safely and happily in their own homes.”

Since 1996, award-winning home care agency Assisted Living Services, Inc. (ALS) in Cheshire, Clinton and Fairfield has provided quality care to residents across Connecticut. Their unique CarePlus program blends personal care with technological safety and monitoring devices from sister company Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. ALS was ranked on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies and recognized by Home Care Pulse® as a “Best of Home Care Leader In Excellence”, a designation given to the best home care providers in the nation. Learn more by visiting www.assistedlivingct.com or calling 203.634.8668.

PHOTO:
Various Veterans' events, sponsored by Assisted Living Services, Inc., attract Veterans and U.S. Senators alike. From left: Veteran Bob Boucher, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of CT, Vietnam Veterans Paul Scappaticci of Manchester and Gerry Wright of Andover.