Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What is Aging with Grace?

  • A: Aging with Grace is a comprehensive eldercare management company, that has developed a program that places expert help with eldercare issues a phone call away! By enrolling in this unique program, members have unlimited access to senior care experts ready to answer questions and guide them and their families through the maze of eldercare options available.

• Q: Can anyone become a member of the Aging with Grace Network?

  • A: Yes. Membership is open to anyone who is faced with an eldercare issue.

• Q: What makes the Aging with Grace Program unique?

  • A: Aging with Grace offers eldercare resource services as a low-cost, membership-based program. Members of the AWG Network not only have access to a wide range of caregiver support resources in the "member only" area of the website, but one-on-one support as well. All members are entitled to unlimited access to eldercare experts, who are salaried professionals trained to assist you in finding the best family eldercare solutions for your situation. Solutions may range from coordinating services to assist an elderly loved one at home, to guiding a family on how to speak to a loved one about making lifestyle changes, to finding the most appropriate senior housing option. Aging with Grace can simplify your search for assisted living, memory care and retirement communities that will meet your care needs, financial budget and preferences for location.

• Q: How can Aging with Grace help with my individual eldercare issues?

  • A: An experienced eldercare specialist works with the family to create a short term plan to meet immediate needs as well as plan for future goals. The AWG Specialist will help educate the member on the options available and assists with creating a long term plan, coordinate the needed services and facilitate the options through the Aging with Grace Provider Network.

• Q: How much does it cost to become a member of the Aging with Grace Network?

  • A: The cost to become a member of the Aging with Grace Network is $42.95 a year per family. Enroll now.

• Q: Do I have to be a member of Aging with Grace to take advantage of the other discount programs?

  • A: To take advantage of the member discounts, you must have an active Aging with Grace membership.

• Q: How can I enroll in the Aging with Grace Network?

  • A: Enrollment is available online, by mailing the membership enrollment form with a check or money order or by calling our toll free number 800-626-9440. An eldercare specialist is available to answer any questions you may have Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Q: Are you able to help caregivers providing care long distance?

  • A: Absolutely! Our service is provided nationally and is designed to be helpful to caregivers who are involved with a family member living at a distance. Our eldercare specialists are all knowledgeable about long-distance caregiving services and resources available in the area that they cover.

• Q: How does a veteran qualify for Aid and Attendance Benefits?

  • A: To receive a Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit, a veteran must have served on active duty at least 90 days, with at least one day during a period of war. There must be an honorable discharge. Single, surviving spouses of such veterans are also eligible. If younger than 65, the veteran must be totally disabled. If age 65 and older, there is no requirement for disability. There is no disability requirement for a single, surviving spouse.

• Q: How long does it take to get approved for VA Benefits?

  • A: We have seen approvals for veterans benefits in as short a time as six weeks, while other people have still been waiting 11 months later. Unfortunately, it depends heavily on the workload and efficiency of the regional VA office that supports your area. You should make it a point to request that the paperwork be expedited if the claimant is over 70 years old. Include a cover letter making this request with the rest of the paperwork.

• Q: My mother is applying for the surviving spouse’s Aid and Attendance Benefit. Does she need to have a marriage license?

  • A: Actually, she needs the marriage certificate, not license. The certificate establishes that the wedding did indeed take place. If you cannot find the certificate, you may need to contact the Clerk of Courts office in the county where your parents were married. You do need to have this document, so the VA can establish that your mother has a legitimate claim to the benefits earned by your father’s service.

• Q: My father was married before he married my mother. Does the VA need any of that information?

  • A: Yes. You will need to provide the following: where the marriage took place, when, to whom, what date it ended, where and how. The VA needs to be able to establish that the previous marriage ended through appropriate legal channels in order to establish the legitimacy of your mother’s claim to the benefits.

• Q: My father, a veteran, died and my mother remarried. Her second husband died and she is now in need of financial help because of deteriorating health. Can she apply for Aid and Attendance based on my father’s service?

  • A: Yes. She is eligible to file a claim based on his service as long as they were together at the time of his death.

• Q: What happens if my VA benefit claim is denied for excessive income?

  • A: Denial is often only the beginning of the process. You then have one year to collect receipts, etc. showing your medical expenses. At the end of that year you file what is known as an EVR — a two-page sheet that establishes your income and expenses for the year. If the VA reviews it and determines that you are now eligible for the pension, you will receive a lump sum check, retroactive to the date you originally filed.

• Q: I am my father’s power of attorney. How does that relate to VA benefits?

  • A: The VA does NOT recognize a power of attorney unless the VA has approved the individual for that designation. If you are simply a POA for convenience purposes, it is much quicker to have your parent manage and sign the forms him or herself. If your parent is not capable of managing his/her own affairs, then the VA will want to set up an interview with you in order to determine if you are the appropriate fiduciary for the claimant.

• Q: If my mother sells her house before moving into assisted living, does she have to count that money as income to receive surviving spouse VA benefits?

  • A: No, it does not count as income, but as soon as she puts it in the bank, it will become part of her net worth. If your mother has plans to sell her house, then it is always best to take care of these issues before applying for Aid and Attendance. How she disperses the money from the sale is between her and her financial advisor, but any money she retains in savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, etc. will be considered part of her net worth. There is no “look back” with the Aid and Attendance benefit. The VA’s goal with this program is to help those in financial need. Its operating manual states that: “The VA’s income-based programs are intended to give beneficiaries a minimum level of financial security. They are not intended to protect substantial assets or build up the beneficiary’s estate for the benefit of the heirs.”

• Q: What is a State Veterans Home?

  • A: State veterans homes fill an important need for veterans with low income and veterans who desire to spend their last years with “comrades” from active duty. The predominant service offered is nursing home care. VA nursing homes must be licensed in their particular state and conform to the skilled or intermediate nursing services offered in private nursing homes in that state. State homes may also offer assisted living or domiciliary care, which is a form of supported independent living.There is a great demand for the services of these homes. Unlike private sector nursing homes, for which a family can often walk in the front door and make arrangements for a bed for their loved one, state veterans homes have an application process that could take a weeks or even months. Many state homes have waiting lists, especially for their Alzheimer’s long-term care units. No facilities are entirely free to any veteran with an income. The veteran must pay his or her share of the cost. In some states the veterans’ contribution rates are set, and if there is not enough income the family may have to make up the difference. Most families who are seeking help for loved ones who are veterans generally look to VA first before considering Medicaid. Or they are simply not aware of Medicaid. In many cases Medicaid may be the better choice. From state to state, facilities vary in their rules for eligible veterans. Differing rules are based on the demand for care and the available beds in that particular geographic area. Many states have waiting lists of weeks to months for available beds. Some homes require the veteran to be totally disabled and unable to earn an income. Some evaluate on the basis of medical need or age. Some evaluate entirely on income. Some accept spouses or surviving spouses. You must contact the veterans home you are interested in to find out the availability of beds and the application process. Once the veteran has been accepted in a state veterans home, facility staff members will file the appropriate forms to obtain all veterans benefits available to help pay the costs.