Aid & Attendance :  This special Pension (part of the VA Improved Pension Program) allows for Veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing, undressing or taking care of the needs of nature to receive additional monetary benefits.  It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity.  Assisted care in an assisted living facility also qualifies.  This most important benefit is overlooked by many families with Veterans or surviving spouses who need additional monies to help care of ailing parents or loved ones.  This is a "pension benefit" and is not dependent upon serve- related injuries for compensation.  Most Veterans who are in need of assistance qualify for this pension.  Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, nursing home or assisted living facility.  For 2009 a single veteran is eligible for up to maximum benefit of $1,645 per month ($19,736 annually), while a surviving spouse is eligible for up to $1,057 per month ($12, 681 annually).  A couple is eligible for up to $1,950 per month ( $23,396 annually).

To be eligible the veteran must have served during one of the following periods: 

World War II: December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946

Korean War: June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955

Vietnam War: August 5, 1964 ( February 28, 1961, for veterans who served " in county" before August 5, 1964), through May 7, 1975

Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law of Presidential Proclamation.

Toll Free Numbers for Contacting VA

VA Benefits: 1-800-827-1000

Beneficiaries in receipt of Pension Benefits: 1-877-294-6380

Education (GI Bill): 1-888-442-4551

Health Care Benefits: 1-877-222-8387

Income Verification and Means Testing: 1-800-929-8387

Life Insurance: 1-800-669-8477

Mammography Helpline: 1-888-492-7844

Special Issues - Gulf War/Agent Orange/Project Shad/Mustard Agents and Lewisite/Ionizing Radiation: 1-800-749-8387

Status of Headstones and Markers: 1-800-697-6947

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD): 1-800-829-4833

For health care services, contact your nearest VA medical facility. To locate all VA facilities, click on Find a VA Facility.