Across our nation this November 11th, we will all thank our veterans for their service to our country. Veterans Day started as the anniversary of Armistice Day, initially recognized by President Wilson in 1939, and became the holiday as we know it under President Eisenhower in 1954. It got me thinking, while I find my clients, my firm and I know the reasons behind the celebration of Veterans Day, we may not know all the different benefits available to our veterans.
This means that when we meet a veteran who needs aid, we may not have the information readily available to point him or her in the right direction. The benefits have increased substantially over the past twenty years and will continue to do so. One of the main reasons being a number of the people in our aging population are veterans and in need of more comprehensive solutions to help them manage the complications arising from long term care challenges.
I find there are five main services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs that most of us only have a vague understanding of but can significantly help our veterans. To help provide clarity on these services they are (in no particular order) disability compensation for service-connected disability, basic or improved pension unconnected to disability, health care, funeral benefits and local geriatric care support. Keep in mind, in many of these cases, the benefits are not only available to the veteran but to the spouse and the dependent children.
