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My Father is suffering from Alzheimer's and has been for around 8 years. He is recieveing a VA Benefit 0f $825.00 as a Korean war veteran. My question is now that he has progressed to the point of having to move in with me and has been deemed homebound buy the VA doctors can we now do a caregivers agreement and get a raise in benefits to supplement income lost due to him needing me full time.

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When applying for Medicaid, you're going to have to do the "spend down" because his veteran's benefit income is too high. I would also look on the VA site. He won't qualify since his VA benefit is so high so that's why you have to look on he VA site and Medicaid site.. Bear in mind, if applying for Medicaid, you will have to do the 5 yr lookback.
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I just got my Mom on Medicaid. It sounds like income limits might vary from state to state. My mom gets a little over $930 a month, I believe in WI, it's a $890 limit This put her over the state limit (the state goes through the state system, hooked me up with an agency that will help my manage her care and benefits and they're submitted with full documentation to the Feds, who will reimburse the state for care. It's quite the convoluted system here (now I know why medical costs are so high...it's all the bureaucracy! I had to use one of their vendors for the wheelchair I need, and it's going to be over twice as much as the one I'd found...sigh) All that ends up meaning is she has to 'co-pay' the difference...$40 or so. We just met with a case worker and her nurse. They need to be informed of changes in her health. They're trying to figure what kind of adaptive aids we need (wheelchair, which has to come from one of their vendors, and I need something really lightweight, as I'm on disability...but I digress) Walker...I believe they can arrange for someone else to come out and fix problems in the bathroom and they'll decide how much respite care and skilled care she might need. They've already got her down for incontinence pads (only uses a couple of nights a week). She's at that state that we REALLY need a wheelchair for her, and not some 55 lb. beast that I have to try to leverage in the car. This is how it works in WI. We have a choice of 3 different agencies to work with here in Dunn County. We chose Care Wisconsin. There was one that truly was completely self-directed, but a couple where you work with a team, which I decided might be nice.

Anyway, we started everything off at Dunn County Social Services. We had a guy come out and assess her, and he told me about the gal that was able to walk me easily through the paperwork. There may or may not be something like that where you are, but it's worth trying to find! I live in a relatively small community, so perhaps that makes a difference.

I'll let you know how things go as we get into the meat of the whole thing!

Smiles,
Sandy
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The Federal Max salary on SSI is $733 a month. Please don't do what I did. If you want to keep him in your home and get the need you want, get his monthly income down by showing he pays rent and utilities. Have him apply as a single economic unit. You will initially be denied if you don't do this. And they won't tell you for months that you have been denied. Then you will go through appeals. It's sad that this is our system but it is the reality. First step is to decide if you want him to live with you or place him.
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Since he is a Korean War vet, he is around 80 years old. He certainly receives Social Security, and if his income is low and his expenses are high, he may qualify for SSI. Yes, the VA Aide and Attendance benefit will be paid after proper application, but will be adjusted somewhat due to his current VA disability payment. If he can be accepted at a VA long term care facility, then the cost of care to the family will be minimized, and his quality of life will be enhanced. The VA is often criticized in the media, but their long term facilities are generally excellent.
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If he has a service connected disability at a certain percentage he may qualify for one of the VA facilities. Either a "Green House" or one of the "CLC or Community Living Centers" Both great options.
Talk to a Social Worker at the VA or his Primary doctor. He has probably been placed on the Home Based Primary Care Program, if he hasn't been he should be.
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Actually the Area on Aging could not help us. Everything I found out was through my own research. Don't depend on these so called one stop agencies. You have to find the services that meet the needs of your situation. There are national grants for year long respite care, such as Hilarity for Charity. No one in my state knew nothing about it including the aging agency.
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One stop questions answered. Call the Area Agency on Aging. They are a wealth of information!
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Ok...went through this last year. $825 is too high to qualify for Medicaid. There are ways to show that monthly income as a decrease. If you draft up a "rental agreement" as he is paying rent to you, it decreases the income monthly and he can qualify. Have you considered applying for SSI or SSDI? If he can qualify for SSI, he automatically qualifies for Medicaid. Medicaid is what you want because of their home based waiver programs. I dough for a year to get this. Now my mom goes to adult day care, has transportation to and from, meals on wheels and caregiver service in home. This is all paid by Medicaid. It frees you up to go to work or do what you need to do. Go onto your state Medicaid website and look to see what Medicaid waiver programs they have for the elderly. research your SSI income eligibility limits..and apply. Takes several months but it is worth it. Also there are Medicaid veteran benefits you should be eligible for!
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For a caregivers agreement, see an attorney to be sure the document is compliant with Medicaid, because Medicaid sees the money as a gift without a pre-existing written agreement.
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You ask the VA about Aid & Attendance for him. If the $825 is already an Aid and Attendance benefit, it will be reviewed annually. At renewal, you document the additional needs.
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