Dust Off: Veteran-directed care benefits everyone

PORT ST. LUCIE – Many veterans find themselves needing additional assistance to continue to live at home. The Department of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the Administration for Community Living, established the Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Service Program (VD-HCBS).

VD-HCBS gives veterans of all ages the opportunity to receive the home and community-based services they need in a consumer-directed way.

Veteran-directed care is for veterans who need skilled services, case management and assistance with activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed) or instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., fixing meals and taking medicines); are isolated or their caregiver is experiencing a burden.

Veterans in this program are given a flexible budget for services that can be managed by the veteran or the family caregiver. Veteran-directed care can be used to help veterans continue to live at home or in their community.

As part of this program, veterans and their caregiver have more access, choice and control over their long-term care services. For example, veterans can:

Decide what mix of services will best meet their needs;

Hire their own personal care aides (which might include their own family member or neighbor);

Buy items and services that will help them live independently in the community.

Since veteran-directed care is part of the VHA Standard Medical Benefits Package, all enrolled veterans are eligible IF they meet the clinical need for the service and it is available. There is no copay with this program. However, you may still have a copay if you use Home and Community Based Services.

The Veteran-Directed Care Program uses a Shared Decision Making Worksheet to assist in determining what long-term care services or settings may best meet your needs now or in the future.

There's also a Caregiver Self-Assessment that can help your caregiver identify their own needs and decide how much support they can offer to you. Having this information from your caregiver, along with the involvement of your care team and social worker, will help you reach good long-term care decisions.

Your physician or other primary care provider can answer questions about your medical needs. Some important questions to talk about with your social worker and family include:

How much assistance do I need for my activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed)?

Can I select and coordinate the services I need?

What are my caregiver's needs?

Is my caregiver able to assist me with coordinating the services I select?

How much independence and privacy do I want?

What sort of social interactions are important to me?

How much can I afford to pay for care each month?

If veteran-directed care seems right for you, talk with your VA social worker or contact the West Palm Beach VAMC at 561-422-8262 or visit https://www.va.gov/

Geriatrics/guide/longtermcare/

Veteran-Directed_Care.asp.

Dana Matthews is a retired lieutenant colonel, Army Ranger, a veterans advocate.

YourNews contributor

Dr. Dana Matthews