Protecting Your Golden Years

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Veterans need specialized long term care planning

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2018 | Care Planning, Firm News |

For Georgia residents who served in the military, planning for the future can be a complicated matter. Understanding the full scope of VA benefits is never easy, and navigating the process of applying for and receiving long term care is no exception. The best way to avoid an unpleasant surprise is to work with an elder care attorney to determine the type of long term care planning needed to support vets through their later years. 

According to many experts, the Department of Veterans Affairs is facing a looming crisis as a large number of veterans near their elderly years. Statistics suggest that the number of veterans over the age of 70 is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next eight years. That would place a heavy burden on the VA, and could leave some families without the support they need to care for an aging loved one. 

Veterans who suffered a service-related injury that led to disability are entitled to nursing home care. Gaining access to those benefits, however, is not always a simple matter. There is also an issue of service availability; there might not be enough care facilities to handle that many veterans, even if they do gain access to long term care benefits. 

Home health services might cover part of that gap. However, there is a great deal of concern about how families will cope with managing the needs of their aging loved ones, even with some level of at-home support. Caring for a loved one with advanced medical or cognitive needs places a great deal of stress on a family. 

The best way to plan for the future is for Georgia families to work through exactly what level of VA support they can expect. That information can make it easier to seek solutions to fill in any gaps in long term care planning. American veterans deserve the very best in their later years, and the right level of planning can ensure that outcome for veterans and their families.