Working as a Care Coordinator with seniors, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the limited options for care and assistance for lower income veterans. I’ve see so many fall through the cracks for various reasons.

It breaks my heart to see them spending their final years struggling with such financial and emotional challenges.

 

• Since Aid and Attendance is a reimbursement benefit a claimant needs to be paying for care before they are entitled to benefits. For the millions of seniors living hand to mouth this is an impossibility.

 

• Many veterans currently needing a helping hand served in between the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Because it was a time of “peace”, they are not eligible. This has always upset me since when one enlists in the military, there is always the possibility of war …and, thus, those veterans should be eligible for the same benefits.

 

• Many women are only eligible for the “Surviving Spouse” benefit, which is substantially less than that for a veteran. I have been fortunate enough to meet some fabulous women who served in the Marines and Air Force but, for the most part, the WW II, Korean War and Vietnam War Veterans I’ve worked with have been predominantly male.

I decided to become an Accredited Claims Agent with the Department of Veteran Affairs to better help the patients I work with. Then I realized that I would love to be able to help others, as well, and started A Right Place For Senior Veterans.

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Michelle Lander

Executive Director