Aid and Attendance adds a monthly payment on top of a qualifying Veteran's or survivor's VA pension. VA extends eligibility to people who need regular help with activities like bathing, feeding, or dressing; who are bedridden; who live in a nursing home because of a disability-related loss of abilities; or who meet a specified visual-impairment standard.
Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits can't be paid at the same time, per VA guidance. A claimant applying from a nursing home needs to submit Form 21-0779 alongside the standard pension claim materials, and VA offers online, mail, and regional-office options for filing. Alaska has one State Veterans Home, located in Palmer, which can factor into how a family sequences this benefit alongside other care arrangements.
Sources and official resources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Aid and Attendance and Housebound
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans Pension Rates
- Alaska Department of Health: Apply for Medicaid
Rules and figures change. Confirm current details with the agency before you act.