Did you know that you can be paid by the VA for taking care of your disabled veteran?
Under the VA Caregiver Support Program monthly stipends are paid to those caring for disabled veterans day to day. The level of payment is completely determined by how much time a day you spend helping your veteran accomplish tasks and the level of care your veteran requires to function normally. The disability your are helping your veteran overcome does not have to be service related in order to qualify for this program. There is no end date for this program so once you are approved, so long as your veteran continues to need care, the program is open ended.
Under current guidelines only the post 9/11 veterans are eligible for this program but they are actively working to allow other generations of veterans to receive this benefit as well.
There is a process of paperwork, exams, security checks, training, and home visits that must be done before you can be admitted to the program. However, once you apply for the program, should you be approved as a caregiver, you will start accruing stipend payments that will be back paid once the process is complete. Both the caregiver and the veteran will have to go through quarterly check-ins with the assigned Caregiver Support Coordinator via phone or web chat and yearly home visits to ensure proper care is being received by the veteran, that the caregiver keeps up on current health care practices to improve overall life support for the veteran, and to check on the mental health of both the veteran and caregiver. The support coordinators are very concerned with the care the veteran receives and that the care provided is not wearing to much on the mental health of the caregiver.
This program offers a lot of support for those caring for our veterans such as daily motivational text messages, ongoing internet training for improving care practices, tips on how to keep your veteran involved in daily activities, and so much more. Head over to the Caregiver Support Program’s webpage for more information on the program overview, who is eligible for this program, and review their support systems.
Visit the VA Caregiver Support Webpage