One of the challenges of life after military service is being informed about all the different benefits available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies. Hillsborough County’s Department of Consumer and Veterans Services is teaming up with the staff of The Bridges Assisted Living & Memory Care to inform veterans of a benefit that can mean more money each month to them and their families if they are eligible.
The Bridges Retirement Community is hosting a veterans assistance seminar to inform wartime veterans and their survivors about a relatively unknown benefit the VA provides called the Aid and Attendance Pension. While some benefits are well known, like the ones that deal with education and home loans, others are not. This is especially true regarding benefits that are appropriate for veterans who may have been separated from military service for decades and are at a senior stage in life.
Among such benefits is the VA Aid and Attendance Pension which provides monthly payments that are added to the amount of a monthly VA pension that qualified veterans and survivors receive. The benefit is intended for veterans who need help with daily living activities or are determined to be housebound.
Janet Noah is the director of community relations at The Bridges, and she said that staying informed about VA benefits is important.
“We have found that many veterans, and/or surviving spouses and their families, are unfamiliar with this benefit, which can help offset the cost of assisted living,” she wrote in an email. “Over the years, many residents at The Bridges have received this benefit. Because there are qualifying factors and those factors change from time to time, the information shared in this seminar will be the most up to date.”
The seminar will be presented by Karen Martell, veteran service officer with Hillsborough County’s Department of Consumer and Veterans Services, on Monday, March 13 from 10-11 a.m. at The Bridges clubhouse, located at 11202 Dewhurst Dr. in Riverview. It is free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged, as seating is limited. Please reserve a seat by calling 813-413-8900.
