One of the first questions Michigan families ask us at Elder Empowerment Services is also the hardest: “How are we going to pay for this?” Quality in-home care is one of the best investments you can make in a parent’s safety and dignity — but the cost worries many families. If your loved one is a veteran or the surviving spouse of one, there may be a powerful answer most people have never heard of: the VA Aid & Attendance benefit.

What Is the VA Aid & Attendance Benefit?

Aid & Attendance (A&A) is a tax-free monthly pension paid in addition to a veteran’s or surviving spouse’s basic VA pension. It exists specifically to help those who need assistance with daily activities — bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, or supervision due to memory loss. Crucially, that money can be used to pay for in-home care like the services we provide across Livonia, Westland, West Bloomfield, Farmington, Novi, and Ann Arbor.

For many wartime veterans and their spouses, A&A provides thousands of dollars a month — often enough to cover a meaningful amount of professional home care.

Who Qualifies?

Service Requirements

Generally, the veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period, and have received a discharge other than dishonorable.

Care Requirements

The applicant must need help with everyday activities, be bedridden, or have significant cognitive impairment. A registered nurse’s documentation of care needs — which we can provide — strengthens the picture.

Financial Requirements

The VA reviews income and assets. Importantly, the cost of ongoing medical and care expenses (including home care) is deducted from income when the VA calculates eligibility — which is why many families who think they earn too much actually qualify.

Other Ways Michigan Families Pay for Home Care

A&A isn’t the only option. Families also use:

  • Long-Term Care (LTC) insurance — many policies reimburse non-medical home care.
  • Private pay — straightforward hourly arrangements (companion and personal care).
  • VA Community Care — as an approved provider, we can coordinate care through approved VA channels.

How Elder Empowerment Services Helps

We’re a nurse-owned agency led by Deborah Waldo, RN BSN, and an approved VA Community Care provider. That means we don’t just deliver care — we help families navigate how to pay for it. We offer:

  • A free benefit screening to estimate whether A&A applies
  • Guidance through the application and referrals to accredited claims agents (the VA does not allow paid help to charge for filing the claim itself)
  • Skilled, compassionate in-home care once benefits are in place

Don’t Leave Benefits on the Table

Too many Michigan veterans go without care they’ve earned simply because no one told them this benefit existed. A short phone call can tell you a great deal.

Call Elder Empowerment Services at 734-414-8000 for a free, no-pressure consultation. You served us — let us help you stay safely at home.

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