Get Paid to Care for Your Veteran

Veteran Directed Care

Veteran Directed Care is a program that lets veterans pick their own caregivers to help them with everyday tasks. This means they can choose who helps them bathe, get dressed, or prepare meals. They also get to decide when and how often they receive help. The program is designed to support veterans in living independently at home and staying active in their community.

Veterans can use their budget for services to pay a family member or someone they trust to be their caregiver. If the caregiver needs a break, the budget can cover that too. If veterans or their caregivers want more information, they can call the VA Caregiver Support line at 855-260-3274.

Veteran Directed Care Programs in your state

Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefits

This program supplements a military pension to help cover the cost of a caregiver, who may be a family member. A&A benefits are available to veterans who qualify for VA pensions and meet at least one of the following criteria:

The veteran:

• Requires help from another person to perform everyday personal functions such as bathing, dressing and eating.
• Is confined to bed because of disability.
• Is in a nursing home because of physical or mental incapacity.
• Has very limited eyesight, less than 5/200 acuity in both eyes, even with corrective lenses, or a significantly contracted visual field.

Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans also may be eligible for this benefit. To apply, complete the A&A application form.

Housebound benefits

Similar to the A&A program, veterans who receive a military pension and are substantially confined to their immediate premises because of permanent disability can apply for a monthly pension supplement. A&A and Housebound pension benefits both have income thresholds for veterans who apply for this aid; the A&A threshold is lower. The application process is the same as for A&A benefits, but you cannot receive both housebound and A&A benefits at the same time.

Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers

The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) offers a monthly stipend to family members who serve as caregivers for veterans who need assistance with everyday activities because of a serious injury or illness sustained in the line of duty.

The veteran must be enrolled in VA health services, have a disability rating (individual or combined) of 70% or higher, and need in-person care services of a minimum of six continuous months based on any one of the following:

• an inability to perform an activity of daily living
• a need for supervision or protection based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury
• or a need for regular or extensive instruction or supervision without which the ability of the veteran to function in daily life, would be seriously impaired.

The caregiver must be 18 or older and a child, parent, spouse, stepfamily member, extended family member or full-time housemate of the veteran.

The stipend for a caregiver is are based on federal pay rates for the region where an eligible veteran lives. The caregiver receives 62.5% or 100% of the pay rate, depending on the level of supervision and help with daily activities the veteran needs. A family caregiver in Dallas, for example, would receive $1,752 or $2,803 a month, according to a VA fact sheet on the program.

Other caregiver benefits through the program include these:

• Access to health insurance and mental health services, including counseling
• Comprehensive training
• Lodging and travel expenses incurred when accompanying vets going through care
• Up to 30 days of respite care per year. For more information on help for military caregivers, visit the VA Caregiver Support page or call its hotline at 855-260-3274. Learn more about eligibility by visiting the caregiver fact sheet.