lundi 3 février 2014

Eldercare Options For Veterans

By Kristana Jenson


Searching out eldercare options can be a difficult task. Not only do you have to find a facility that meets your budget, you also need to find a place that offers many types of services you might need. This might include help with daily grooming chores and medication, as well as laundry services, meals and housekeeping. The process becomes a bit more difficult if you are seeking out a care home for veterans. It is important that you know a little bit about veterans' care homes and the process of finding a room or residence at one of the facilities.

While there are about 135 homes for veterans in the United States and eight in California, the need for spaces far outweighs the availability. Many veterans must wait for months and perhaps as long as three years to find a spot at a home. In California, the veterans' homes are located in Barstow, Chula Vista, Fresno, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Redding, Ventura and Yountville.

These facilities offer several different categories of care, depending on what residents need, and any veteran can apply for housing. The lowest level of care, which includes boarding and meals, is for those veterans who are independent and need no help with any type of daily tasks. Assisted living care is the next tier and this is for veterans who don't have major medical needs, but do need help getting around and dealing with chores such as dressing, grooming or bathing. Finally, for those that do need round-the-clock medical support and assistance, there is a skilled nursing level. The last level of care is perhaps the easiest one for which to find a spot simply because these veterans need immediate housing and help. In general, a spot at any level could require a wait of weeks, months or perhaps even more than two years.

In order to find a spot at a veteran's home, one must first meet certain criteria and also fill out an extensive application. The first requirements mandate that you must be at least 55 or have a disability and, of course, you must have served in the military and received an honorable discharge. If you wish to live in a facility in California, you must be a resident of the state. You also must be enrolled in a health plan that covers long-term care such as Medicare, Medi-Cal, private insurance or another type of insurance program that meets the government criteria.

If you meet the requirements, you must fill out an application and this form has about a dozen pages and three different sections. The potential resident fills out the first two, which include detailed information about your background as well as a medical release. If, for some reason, a person cannot fill out the forms, a legal representative can do this for you. Your primary doctor fills out the last section, including information about diseases you may have, medications you take and other important information.

To start the whole process of selecting a veterans' care home, it might be wise to contact an eldercare placement service like CarePlacement.com. These types of companies specialize in matching seniors to suitable eldercare homes and facilities. They can be quite helpful as you navigate the maze of the Veteran's Administration. If you are placed on a wait list for a veteran's home, they also might be able to help find a suitable assisted living situation while you are waiting.




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