National Preparedness Month is especially important for Seniors in Phoenix, Arizona

The article below reminds us of the upcoming important National Preparedness Month, September 2010.  As I look at the importance of being prepared for emergencies, my mind cannot help running to our Senior In Home Care Clients.

Please ensure the seniors in your life are prepared.  maybe you could even treat their homes as if they were expensions of your home and ensure the proper supplies, contact information, checklist, etc. are all in order.  Great info can be located at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/index.shtm.

Thank you!  If we can assist you with In Home Care and Assistance for the seniors in your world, please give us a buzz at 602-569-7240 or drop us a note at info@rah-phx.com.

For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

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September is National Preparedness Month, designed to encourage Americans toprepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

Citizen Corps is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s grassrootsstrategy involve communities in all-hazards emergency preparedness andresilience. Local Citizen Corps councils enable planning between governmentand civic leaders and provide localized support for outreach and educationalefforts to the public. For more information about Citizen Corps, visit www.citizencorps.gov.

More free information can also be found at ready.gov, listo.gov,1-800-BE-READY, TTY 1-800-462-7585, and 1-888-SE-LISTO.

Borrowed from http://www.dailynewstribune.com/

Arizona Seniors – Arizona Department of Health Services similar to other agencies, working on much smaller budget

Right at Home Phoenix located this article for Seniors and their Loved Ones from the Glendale Star for you.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Arizona Department of Health Services similar to other agencies, working on much smaller budget

In spite of budget cuts, the Arizona Department of Health Services continue to offer services to people in need, Communication Director Laura Oxley said. She talked about the agency during a presentation last week for Peoria Rotary Club.

By Carolyn Dryer

The state is not going to provide as much in the future, so state agencies are looking for the help they need outside the government sector.

That was just one of the messages learned from a presentation last week by Laura Oxley, communication director for the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Oxley, originally from Kansas City, Mo., said her grandmother was a teacher who instilled in her the desire to “look things up.” In high school and college, Oxley said she was always curious and had a desire to educate. A degree in communication from the University of Missouri launched her career in journalism, a path and vocation that kept her busy for 20 years.

“I worked in television, was a news anchor in college,” she said. “It was very boring.”

She became a reporter/photographer/producer/edtior and eventually moved into management at a television station.

“I was a ‘Call for Action’ producer, a program that helped TV stations solve problems for people,” she said.

‘It was atounding to meet people losing their homes, contractors overcharged for work,” she said. “We helped people save their homes.”

Oxley moved to Arizona as a member of the Meredith Corporation, which owns KPHO Channel 5 in Phoenix. After a time, she went to work for the Department of Homeland Security for the state of Arizona, and helped secure grants.

Two years ago, she took her current position with ADHS.

“It’s a perfect niche,” she said. “ADHS has shrunk over time, but its mission is the same.”

The agency oversees operations involving behavioral health, licensing and public health.

In the area of behavioral health, there is a new budget, and now the department can only offer medication for people who do not qualify for AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System).

“Everyone has mental health,” she said. “But where is yours?”

Symptoms run from depression to schizophrenia, and ADHS must provide for all of the medications required for the patients who suffer from those mental illnesses.

In the licensing arena, ADHS oversees medical and child care facilities, hospitals, assisted living centers, speech therapists and audiologists.

“The good thing is we’re out there all the time,” Oxley said.

For public health, ADHS offers preparedness and prevention programs.For preparedness, the programs cover fire, flood and the flu. Prevention programs are designed to help people protect themselves.

Some problems never seem to get solved, and there are infrastructure issues as well as realizing polio still is not eradicated.

“We’re lucky to have fresh water,” Oxley said, “and health care facilities available to people, and vaccinations, which have come so far to enable us to do what we do.

“It comes down to what you can do for your health.”

She said H1N1 is a great example. It represented the longest flu season ever, but turned out to be not as dangerous as first thought.

“We had an emergency operation in the department,” she said. “If you’re sick, stay home. Wash your hands. We finally got the vacinations.

“It was back to you.You have to be the one responsible for your health.”

She said businesses have learned to cross-train.

The food stamp program is now called SNAP and it is changing to requiring healthier food. The program now pays for anything except tobacco and alcohol.

The biggest change in WIC (Women and Children) is there is not as much cheese being distributed.

Although programs are underfunded, ADHS still performs the necessary tasks to protect public health. It is OK to report a green pool. And Oxley advised people to be proactive, talk to their neighbors.

“We do have a decent system in place (for testing food). We have the safest food supply in the world because of the safety system in place,” she said.

Reach the reporter at cdryer@star-times.com, or 623-847-4604.

For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Right at Home Phoenix Conducts Free Blood Pressure Clinics for National High Blood Pressure Education month

Right at Home of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek and Fountain Hills, Arizona is available to perform FREE Blood Pressure Clinics at Senior Facilities in our area as a service to the senior community.  So far this month, we’ve done several clinics that have been very well received.

According to the CDC, normal blood pressure for adults is when the systolic pressure is less than 120 and the diastolic is less than 80. Someone who’s blood pressure is slightly higher than normal has prehypertension and those numbers are systolic pressure between 120 and 139 and diastolic pressure between 80 and 89. Someone with hypertension will have a systolic pressure greater than 140 and a diastolic pressure greater than 90.

Seniors often feel that, since they are on blood pressure medicines, checking their pressure is not necessary.  This could not be further from the truth.

High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease which is the leading cause of death in the United States and stroke, the third leading cause of death in the U.S. About one in three adults have high blood pressure and many are not even aware of it. Undetected and untreated high blood pressure can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of the body, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).

If you operate, are employed by or reside in an Senior, Adult, Independent or Assisted Living Facility in any of the above-named areas, please contact Right at Home at 602-569-7240.

For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Latest FREE Newsletter for Arizona Seniors

Please click on link below for your free Newsletter.  Add the bottom of the newsletter, you can sign up for the Caring – Right at Home Newsletter to arrive in your email inbox every issue FREE!

http://www.poststat.net/RightAtHome/

http://www.poststat.net/RightAtHome/

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For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Better nutrition can mean better health for seniors in the Scottsdale / Phoenix, AZ area

Researchers have developed a modified food pyramid for seniors.                         Click on the pyramid to learn more.

March is National Nutrition Month!

Better nutrition can mean better health for seniors.

If your older loved one’s nutrition habits aren’t supporting good health, it might be time to sit down over a good meal and bring up the topic. And when seniors need help getting back on the nutritional track, a trained home health aide can help.

While good nutrition is important for people of every age, the special dietary needs of older adults make healthy eating more important than ever. Poor nutrition can cause confusion, undesirable weight gain or loss, and can worsen heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and a host of other health conditions.

If you are concerned about the eating habits of an older loved one, this may be the time to have a conversation about his or her dietary choices. Discuss whether your loved one is:

Eating a well-balanced diet. A nutritious diet provides sufficient vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates and fat—a good balance of foods from all the food groups. The best way to get the nutrients we need is to eat a variety of foods every day.

Maintaining a healthy weight. As we grow older, changes occur in the way our bodies use food. Our metabolism slows down and our activity level often decreases, which means most of us need fewer calories to stay at a healthy weight. But the need for nutrients remains the same—so we need to “eat smart” and avoid junk foods that have many calories but few nutrients. Losing too much weight is also a red flag that a senior needs help with nutrition needs.

Limiting fat and cholesterol. Our bodies need a certain amount of fat—and yes, even cholesterol—to stay healthy. But high fat/high-cholesterol diets are linked with a greater chance of heart disease, stroke and other disorders. And easy-to-prepare meals and junk foods are notoriously high in both.

Watching sodium intake. We all need some sodium (salt) in our diets, but the salt that naturally occurs in food is usually enough. Most Americans consume too much salt, leading to an increase in high blood pressure, kidney disease, and heart problems.

Getting enough calcium. Calcium is necessary for good nerve function and helps prevent osteoporosis. Dairy products and foods such as broccoli and kale are good sources of calcium.

Home Care Supports Senior Nutrition

Older adults can experience a dangerous cycle: health problems lead to loss of appetite, difficulty eating, and difficulty preparing nourishing meals, all of which then make health problems even worse. If you suspect this is happening to your loved one, encourage him or her to seek help. Talk with the person’s healthcare provider. Consult with a dietitian or nutritionist who is knowledgeable about the nutritional needs of older adults. And consider how home care can help. For many elders and families, the presence of a home health aide provides supports senior nutrition in several important ways:

Meal Planning and Preparation. A professional home health aide will work with family and healthcare professionals to plan meals according to your loved one’s specific needs. Then, the caregiver will grocery shop (with your loved one, if he or she enjoys the outing), prepare delicious meals and healthy snacks—and even clean up afterwards.

Ensuring Compliance with Special Diets. If your loved one’s healthcare provider has prescribed dietary restrictions for diabetes, heart disease or other health conditions, the home health aide can help assure that the menu meets those needs. This might include low-sodium, low-sugar, lactose-free, or high-fiber choices.

Assistance with Eating. Home health aides can provide eating assistance for clients who have Parkinson’s disease, stroke or other physical limitations that make it difficult to eat unattended. Preparing easy-to-swallow but appetizing foods help tempt the client’s appetite.

Managing Nutritional Supplements and Vitamins. If your loved one’s healthcare provider has suggested vitamins, minerals or nutritional supplements (such as Ensure), it’s important that your loved one takes those as recommended—at the right time, and the right amount. Some vitamins can actually be toxic in large quantities.

Managing Other Medications. A home health aide can provide medication reminders and pick up prescriptions. And did you know that some medications may change the way our bodies process food, block the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, or decrease the appetite? The caregiver will report any of these side effects.

Encourage Socialization and Physical Activity. Seniors who are lonely and inactive often experience appetite loss. Others may overeat out of boredom. Ahome health aide can help your loved one participate in favorite activities, go for a walk or the local Senior Center, go shopping, or whatever activities he or she enjoys.

Is your loved one reluctant to accept assistance? Right at Home offers a comprehensive, no-obligation senior care evaluation to accurately assess whether senior home care services can make a difference in your loved one’s quality of life.

Right at Home is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned, franchised providers of in-home care and assistance services.

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For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Employer Support for Care Giving Employees in Phoenix, Arizona

Employer Support for Care Giving Employees

“There are only four kinds of people in this world. Those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that in the year 2010, 54% of workforce employees will provide eldercare for a parent or parents and that nearly two-thirds of caregivers will experience conflict between demands at home and demands from employers.

Today’s employed Baby Boomers are the caregiver generation for their parents. They are finding themselves juggling care responsibilities around their employment obligations. Sometimes employees find they have no option but to take leave from work or use sick time to meet their caregiving demands.

Employers also feel the toll it is taking on their employees. A report by the AARP describes the cost to employers:

“Companies are also seeing the emotional and physical toll that caregiving takes on their workers. In one study, 75% of employees caring for adults reported negative health consequences, including depression, stress, panic attacks, headaches, loss of energy and sleep, weight loss, and physical pain. Businesses suffer, too, by having to pay high health insurance costs and in lost productivity. That doesn’t count the promotions or assignments workers turn down that require travel or relocation away from aging relatives.”

Businesses that don’t offer benefits or address eldercare wind up paying for them. A recent study by the MetLife Market Mature Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving states that U.S. companies pay between $17.1 billion and $33.6 billion annually, depending on the level of caregiving involved, on lost productivity. That equals $2,110 for every full-time worker who cares for an adult.

Eldercare cost businesses:

• $6.6 billion to replace employees (9% left work either to take early retirement or quit)
• Nearly $7 billion in workday interruptions (coming in late, leaving early, taking time off during the day, or spending work time on eldercare matters)
• $4.3 billion in absenteeism” AARP

Typically, human resource departments work with employees on many issues that may affect their work productivity.  There are programs for drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, illness, absenteeism and child care; but, help with eldercare issues is not normally provided.

The AARP report follows several companies who are providing help with eldercare issues and what they are doing for their employees.

• “Freddie Mac has a free eldercare consultant and access to subsidized aides for a relative up to 20 days.
• Verizon Wireless offers seminars on eldercare issues and allows full-time workers 80 hours a year in back-up care, 40 hours for part-time, and $4/hour for in-home help.
• At the Atlanta law firm Alston & Bird LLP, workers can donate vacation time to colleagues who have used up theirs to care for family members. “ AARP

A growing number of companies nationwide are directing their HR departments to provide resources, education and group help for caregiving issues by:

• Providing materials from community resources such as phone numbers to their local Senior Centers or Area Agencies on Aging.
• Making available brochures and booklets on specific programs and services by eldercare experts
• Providing speakers to educate employees on caregiving options
• Allowing options to use paid sick leave, employee job sharingand flexible hours
• Allowing employee caregivers to use business computers for caregiving research
• Contracting with companies who provide eldercare services to help employees

Eldercare service providers are also reaching out to help employee caregivers by providing informational presentations at the work place during lunch time or other times set up by employers. One such presentation provided information on reverse mortgages. Jason, who had been trying to help his parents pay for home care, learned at a work site presentation that a reverse mortgage was one way to cover caregiver expenses.

The HR Department of a local business in Utah, invited the Salt Lake Eldercare Planning Council to present a “Brown bag, Lunch and Learn” during their employees’ lunch hour. In 30 minutes time, those who attended learned how the services of a Care Manger, Home Care Provider, Elder Attorney, Medicaid Planner and Financial Consultant can help with caregiving decisions. Problems were discussed, questions answered and employees left armed with information and the names of professional people they knew could help them.

“This was the most productive lunch I have ever attended”, related Mary, one of the attendees.

“I had been very hesitant to contact an attorney to discuss my parents’ estate, because of the cost involved.  The attorney at our ‘lunch and learn’ answered my few basic questions which will allow me to prepare what I need before I meet with him to finalize my parents’ estate planning.”

Besides workplace help for employers and employees dealing with caregiving, the internet is also a great research tool.  The National Care Planning Council website at http://www.longtermcarelink.net is a comprehensive resource for eldercare, senior care and long term care planning.  It contains hundreds of articles on all aspects of eldercare.  Professional providers list their services on the NCPC website.  Each of their listings provides unique information on specific eldercare services and how to obtain help.

Employers, employees and eldercare service providers working together can make parent or senior caregiving a workable solution for all.

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For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Right at Home informational video for Seniors / Elders in Arizona (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley)

Please click to view the Right at Home video here ====>   http://www.rightathome.net/RAHMovie/index.html

For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Aging in Place; Staying Healthy and Connected in Arizona

Home Care: An Important Part of the Aging in Place Challenge



As our legislators work to shape the new face of healthcare in the U.S., many Americans have received a crash course on the topic of long-term care. The costs of caring for our seniors will climb as the population ages, and how best to provide this care has been the source of some debate. Under discussion is a mandate that every American purchase long-term care insurance to help cover costs if they become disabled. The related Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act is a proposed new voluntary insurance program that would pay enrollees a benefit that could be applied to nursing home care or in-home care. And the increasingly important role of family caregivers is in the spotlight, with policy experts urging the enhancement of programs that build better relationships between formal and family caregivers.

An increased emphasis is emerging on keeping seniors at home—for the best quality of life, and as a cost-effective alternative to institutional care. Two recent studies, taken together, show why the need for senior home care services will continue to grow:

• Last month, researchers at the UCLA Division of Geriatrics called into question the commonly held belief that Baby Boomers will be healthier than previous generations. The study suggests that people now entering their 60s could actually have an increased rate of disabilities, with functional limitations, and difficulties with the basic activities of daily living and mobility.
• Meanwhile, surveys by AARP and the National Association of Home Builders show that 85% of seniors wish to “age in place”—to remain in their own homes.

This desire to stay at home, combined with a projected increased rate of disability, means that our dwellings will have to adapt to our needs as we age. Modifications for safety and accessibility, including home medical equipment as needed, are part of the picture. And for many seniors, in-home care will be an indispensable part of successful aging in place…just as it is today.

Professional caregivers can provide a wide array of services:

Visiting nurses and rehabilitation professionals provide skilled medical services in the home. Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) perform hands-on procedures such as wound care and IV therapy. Rehabilitation professionals include physical, occupational and speech/language therapists.

Home health aides are trained to provide personal care and help with the activities of daily living, such as feeding assistance, dressing, bathing, oral hygiene, getting in and out of bed, and using the facilities.

In-home caregivers are trained to provide companion services that support the senior’s independence, including laundry and housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, companionship, and respite for family caregivers.

Though legislators have been slow to take notice, today’s healthcare reform debate is now shedding new light on the value of in-home care.

Learn More

Read Caring Right at Home each month for information about senior home care services and how home care can keep seniors independent in their own homes.

Read coverage of the generations study in “People Entering their 60s May Have More Disabilities Today Than in Prior Generations” on the UCLA website.

Right at Home is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned, franchised providers of in-home care and assistance services.

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For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Great Resources for Coping With Emotions of Alzheimer’s in Arizona

Brought to you by Right at home, Senior In-Home Care for Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and vicinity.

As a family caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you may find yourself  feeling overwhelmed and often times, angry.  The anger probably stems from being exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated.  To make matters worse, it is also very difficult to make sense of the situation and your changing relationship with your loved one–and worse yet, no one to really target your anger towards.

The Duke Family Support Program offers a wide variety of well-written resources for caregivers who are trying to manage their emotions by helping them understand them.  One particular resource, “Pressure Points: Alzheimer’s and Anger” helps caregivers navigate through their emotions in a compelling booklet.  The booklet can be ordered for $8 through the  site.

The Duke Family Support Program is a state-level, nationally recognized technical assistance clearinghouse for families and professionals caring for chronically ill older persons.  For two decades program staff have provided services for families and professionals caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease.  They offer training manuals and resources both nationally and internationally.

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For More Information, In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT for Seniors in Arizona from the US Veterans Administration

Right at Home has learned that there will be no changes to the Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit for 2010.   As always we will let you know of any changes as we learn of them!

REPOST:  BELOW IS OUR ORIGINAL POST TO REMIND YOU OF THE PROGRAM SINCE WE NOW KNOW 2010 ARE THE SAME AS 2009 AS IT RELATES TO REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS

Right at Home wants to make sure Veterans are aware of a little-known benefit that may help Veterans and their surviving spouses pay for home care (and other care services).  If you or a loved one have any questions after reading this, please post your question in the comments area and we will make sure you receive the answers you need.  Some of this sounds complicated–and it can be.  We can put you in touch with an Accredited Claims Agent that can assist you at no charge.  The Accredited Claims Agents provide invaluable information and will assist with the application process to make sure it is filled out correctly the first time which will help you greatly improve your chances of getting reimbursed in a timely manner!

So what is it? Veterans Aid and Attendance (A&A) is a benefit paid in addition to monthly pension. Benefits may be available for Veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication monitoring or other various activities of daily living. This benefit is available to individuals who reside in assisted living communities, personal care homes, skilled nursing facilities and those receiving personal in-home care.

How can these benefits help and how much is available?
Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, skilled nursing facility, personal care home or an assisted living community. A Veteran may be eligible for up to $19,728 per year, a Veteran with a dependent spouse may be eligible for up to $23,388 per year, a surviving spouse of a Veteran may be eligible for up to $12,672 per year and two Veterans married to each other may be eligible for up to $30,480 per year.

Who is Eligible?
Any War Veteran with 90 days of active duty with at least one day during active War time. A surviving spouse of a War Veteran may be eligible if he/she remained married to the Veteran until his/her time of death and has not remarried. The only exception to this rule is if the remarriage took place after January 1, 1971 and ended before November 1, 1990. The individual must meet medical, service and financial qualifications as described below.

Medical Qualifications

1. The Veteran requires the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting himself/herself from the hazards of his/her daily environment, OR,
2. The Veteran is bedridden, in that his/her disability or disabilities requires that he/she remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment, OR,
3. The Veteran is a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, OR,
4. The Veteran is blind, or so nearly blind as to have corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less, in both eyes, and concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less.

Service Qualifications

1. At least 90 days of active duty, but need not have served in combat.
2. One day of active duty during a period of war (table below lists qualifying periods of war)
3. Discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable

War or Conflict
WWII:12/7/1941 to 12/31/1946
Korean Conflict: 6/27/1950 to 1/31/1955
Vietnam Era: 8/5/1964 to 5/7/1975; for Veterans who served “in country” before 8/5/1664,                                2/28/1961 to 5/7/1975 is applicable.�
Gulf War: At least 24 months, 8/2/1990 until a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.

Financial Qualifications

1. VA compares gross monthly income to out of pocket medical expenses.
2. Assets are included in the equation for eligibility. Personal property such as the Veteran’s home or vehicle,   are not included in this calculation.
3. A complicated Income and Asset Test must be “passed” in order to qualify. VA does not disclose this special provision to the public. If these are submitted incorrectly the Veteran will be denied the benefit. Therefore, we strongly recommend you contact your Right at Home representative who can put you in contact with VA Accredited Claims Agent who can complete the forms for you- at no charge to you.

There is also a “Housebound” benefit that can be paid in addition to monthly pension, and, like A&A, Housebound benefits first require eligibility to pension (different criteria apply). A Veteran cannot receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.

If I am already receiving monthly payments or a service-connected disability can I get a VA pension too?
You cannot receive a VA non-service connected pension and service-connected compensation at the same time. However, if you apply for pension and are awarded payments, VA will pay you whichever benefit is greater.

How do I apply for Veterans non-service connected pension?
Contact Right at Home for assistance and they will provide you with the information you need, including referral to an accredited claims agent who can assist you with your application.

In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240