NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Veterans can qualify for benefits to help with the cost of care as they age.
We understand you don’t have the time to look into every program, so that's where we come in.
Elder Veterans Legal Aid Group is helping people access benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs that can substantially bring costs down.
From their office in East Nashville, the small team at the independent law firm answers phone calls from elderly, disabled veterans, and their families all over the country.
"There's a common denominator, they've got a loved one that's got to go into some kind of care," said Glenn Osborne, managing director at Elder Veterans Legal Aid Group.
According to the EVLAG, the VA administers disability programs for veterans and surviving spouses with both service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities. The majority of claims are for non-service-connected disabilities. That benefit is called a "pension." A pension guarantees wartime veterans a minimum monthly income after medical expenses are paid out-of-pocket.
You can find out — for free — if you qualify for any benefits by calling EVLAG at 1-800-878-2149.
"So now instead of getting a studio for mom, maybe we can get a one bedroom. Or we thought we had enough money for 18 months, now we've got enough money for four years," Osborne said.
If the group can legally prove your entitlement, they will charge a small pre-filing consultation fee. Representation before the VA is free.
According to the Census Bureau, almost one-half of all veterans are 65 or older. With the cost of senior care going up, benefits are worth exploring. They can lead to a 20% or even 50% discount on long-term care.
Do you have more information that could help aging veterans and their families? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
