How State Veterans Homes Help Vets or Spouses with Dementia / Alzheimer’s

State Veterans Homes Overview

State Veterans Homes provide veterans with long-term care, including support for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Sometimes non-veteran spouses, widows, and parents of veterans who have died in active duty can also qualify to receive long-term care. Normally, long-term care is associated with someone being in a nursing home care but some State Veterans Homes offer domiciliary care (which can be thought of as assisted living), and adult day health care. Additionally, some facilities offer specialized memory care (sometimes called Alzheimer’s care units), in which individualized care for dementia patients is provided. Just to be clear, not all State Veterans Homes provide the same long-term care services.

There is a variety of care services offered in State Veterans Homes. This gives veterans who have dementia flexibility and support with their care needs. The level of informal support a veteran has becomes a factor in the type of care that is needed. For example, adult day health care might be beneficial for a veteran with mid-stage Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) who requires daytime supervision and assistance with daily living activities while their (informal) family caregiver works. On the other hand, consider the same veteran with mid-stage FTD, but in this situation, the family is unable to provide care. Because of their circumstances, the veteran might require more supportive care, like an assisted living facility. Lastly, take a veteran with late-stage Lewy body dementia that is entirely dependent on others for care assistance. With the high level of care needed, nursing home care is likely ideal and this is regardless of the informal support their family can provide.

State Veterans Homes are a partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and an individual state. The VA certifies each home while the states own and operate them. State Veterans Homes can be found throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico, although the number of homes varies from state to state.

Benefits & Services Provided in State Veterans Homes

The availability of long-term care and support for veterans with dementia varies based on the state of the veteran’s home. Below are the following types of care that can be available.

– Adult Day Health Care – provides supervision during the day, companionship, social and recreational activities, meals/snacks, and assistance with daily living activities. Skilled nursing care and therapies (physical, occupational, and speech) may be available, and transportation to and from the facility might be provided. Adult day health care can help by offering a good form of respite care to primary caregivers of people with dementia.

– Domiciliary Care (Assisted Living) – an independent living option that allows veterans some supervision and assistance with activities of daily living. This can be a good option for veterans who are in the early stages of dementia and can function with little assistance.

– Memory Care – a residential living option that provides round-the-clock specialized supervision and care to people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.

– Nursing Home – a residential living option offering 24-hour skilled nursing care. In late-stage dementia, this level of care will likely be required.

While the cost of care in a state veterans home may be privately paid, it is not uncommon for veterans to require financial assistance. Examples of common assistance include the VA’s per diem aid program (for veterans who receive VA health care), the VA’s Aid & Attendance pension, and long-term care Medicaid.

Veterans with dementia may have to pay part of the cost of their care. This depends on many things, like the home itself, a person’s service-connected disability rating, assets, and income.

Eligibility Criteria for Admissions to State Veterans Homes

The eligibility criteria for admission into state veterans homes differ. They can be determined by the state in which one resides or the veteran’s homes one wants to move into. There are requirements for veterans with dementia that are standard, like having been honorably discharged.

All State Veterans Homes require that veterans have a clinical need for care services. Sometimes, one state veterans home might require a doctor’s order for services while another home might require the veteran to require assistance with a specific number of activities of daily living. Regardless of how someone’s functional need must be demonstrated, veterans with mid-late stage dementia likely will meet the requirement due to their cognitive and physical decline.

Generally, there are no income or asset limits, but there can be a co-pay based on one’s financial means.

Some homes may require that a veteran be a current state resident for a specified period, while other homes may allow veterans who currently reside in another state to be eligible. This can be based upon their state being listed on their paperwork as the home of record either upon their entry into service or discharge from service.

Keep in mind, some state veterans homes only allow admission to veterans, while others enable non-veteran spouses, widows, or parents who had a child die in service (these people are referred to as “gold star” parents).

How to Apply to a State Veterans Home

The application process for long-term care services in a state veterans home varies based on the specific residence. It is suggested that veterans or their family members contact the state veterans home for which they would like to apply. To find contact information for individual state veterans homes, click here.

VA social workers are available to provide assistance regarding state veterans homes and assist veterans with dementia to find housing options that are the right fit for them. They can also provide help with the eligibility process. VA social workers work at VA medical centers and can be contacted via one’s local regional VA medical center. Find local VA medical centers here.

State Veterans Homes Compared to Assisted Living Facilities

Care facilities that help and support the needs of your loved one can vary greatly. While state veterans homes and private sector assisted living facilities are the same because they are both care communities, there are many notable differences. These differences can be seen in who runs them, who is admitted, and which services are offered.