If you are helping an aging or disabled Veteran in Haralson County, Georgia, you may be wondering whether the VA can help pay for assistance at home.
The answer may be yes.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers Homemaker and Home Health Aide (H/HHA) Care for eligible Veterans who need assistance with everyday activities and meet applicable clinical and community-care requirements.
For Veterans and families in Bremen, Buchanan, Tallapoosa, Waco and surrounding Haralson County communities, understanding how to request this benefit can be the first step toward receiving additional support at home.
What Is the VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Program?
VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care helps eligible Veterans who need assistance with daily activities remain in their homes.
Unlike Medicare home health, families should not assume a Veteran must have just left the hospital or require short-term rehabilitation to ask the VA about H/HHA services.
VA states that Homemaker and Home Health Aide services can be used as an alternative to nursing-home care and may also support respite care for Veterans and their family caregivers.
Services are based on the Veteran’s assessed needs and availability in the area.
What Can a VA Home Health Aide Help With?
Depending on the Veteran’s assessment and authorized plan of care, a home health aide may provide assistance with everyday activities such as:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Personal grooming
- Eating
- Toileting
- Moving from one place to another
- Grocery shopping
- Other authorized activities based on the Veteran’s assessed needs
This type of support can be especially valuable when a Veteran wants to remain at home but is having increasing difficulty safely completing daily activities without assistance.
Who May Qualify for VA Homemaker/Home Health Aide Care?
VA states that enrolled Veterans may be eligible for Homemaker/Home Health Aide Care when they are eligible for community care, meet the clinical criteria for the service and the service is available.
That means having Veteran status by itself does not automatically guarantee a particular amount of home care.
The Veteran’s health care team evaluates the Veteran’s needs.
A Veteran experiencing difficulty with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, transfers or other everyday activities should discuss those limitations with their VA health care team.
Cognitive impairment and other circumstances may also be relevant to determining whether home and community-based services are clinically appropriate.
How Do I Start VA Home Care in Haralson County?
This is where many families become confused.
You generally should not simply hire an agency and expect the VA to reimburse you afterward.
VA Community Care typically requires an authorization or referral before non-emergency community care is provided.
If your loved one already receives VA health care, contact the Veteran’s VA health care team, social worker or case manager and clearly explain that the Veteran needs help with activities of daily living at home.
You can specifically ask about:
“Homemaker and Home Health Aide services.”
When speaking with the VA, explain what the Veteran is struggling with rather than simply saying, “We need a caregiver.”
For example:
- Dad can no longer safely shower without assistance.
- Mom needs help getting dressed every morning.
- He has difficulty transferring safely.
- She needs hands-on assistance with toileting.
- He cannot complete personal-care tasks independently.
- We are concerned about whether he can continue living safely at home without additional assistance.
Specific information helps the care team understand the Veteran’s actual functional needs.
Can I Request a Specific VA Community Care Provider?
If your Veteran needs community-based home care, ask the VA about the available in-network providers serving Haralson County.
If you already have a preferred agency, you can also tell the VA care team which provider you would like to use and ask whether that provider can be considered for the authorized care.
The VA ultimately controls the referral and authorization process.
Georgia is part of VA Community Care Network Region 3, which is administered by Optum.
Do I Contact Optum First?
Usually, the Veteran’s first step for routine authorized home care should be communicating with the VA health care team, rather than trying to independently arrange covered services through Optum.
Optum administers VA’s Community Care Network in Georgia, but VA determines the Veteran’s eligibility and authorizes applicable community care.
If the Veteran already has an authorization, the process may be different depending on where that authorization is in the referral and scheduling process.
What Should We Have Ready Before Calling the VA?
Before contacting the Veteran’s VA care team, make a simple list of what has changed at home and let the case manager know you would like to use Serenity Care and Compassion as your preferred provider.
Consider documenting:
- Activities the Veteran can no longer complete independently
- Bathing and grooming difficulties
- Dressing assistance needed
- Toileting needs
- Eating or meal-related concerns
- Mobility or transfer difficulties
- Falls or safety concerns
- Cognitive changes
- Recent hospitalization or rehabilitation
- Current caregiver support
- How often assistance is currently needed
Do not exaggerate the Veteran’s limitations.
Instead, clearly describe what happens on a typical day and where hands-on assistance is necessary.
What Happens After the VA Approves Home Care?
If VA determines that Homemaker/Home Health Aide services are clinically appropriate and community care is authorized, care may be coordinated with an approved community provider.
The authorization is important because it establishes the services VA has approved.
The Veteran’s actual schedule and amount of care depend on the Veteran’s assessed needs, authorization and applicable program requirements.
Families should never assume another Veteran’s schedule will automatically apply to their loved one.
VA Home Care in Bremen, Buchanan and Tallapoosa, Georgia
Veterans living outside central Atlanta should still ask about home-care options.
Families searching for VA home care in Bremen, VA home care in Buchanan or Veteran home care in Tallapoosa may have an aging parent, spouse or loved one who wants to remain at home but now requires additional assistance.
Geographic location should not stop a family from starting the conversation with the Veteran’s VA health care team.
Ask specifically whether the Veteran can be evaluated for Homemaker and Home Health Aide services and whether community providers are available to serve the Veteran’s Haralson County address.
Looking for a VA Home Care Provider in Haralson County?
Once a Veteran has been evaluated for home-care services, choosing a dependable provider becomes an important part of the process.
Serenity Care & Compassion provides home-care services for Veterans and families in Haralson County and surrounding Georgia communities.
Our caregivers can provide authorized assistance based on the Veteran’s individual plan of care and approved services.
If your family is trying to determine how to start VA Homemaker/Home Health Aide care, you can contact our team to discuss the process.
If the Veteran has not received an authorization yet, ask the Veteran’s VA health care team or case manager about a referral for Homemaker and Home Health Aide services.
If the Veteran already has an authorization or referral, contact Serenity Care & Compassion and let our team know that you are seeking VA-authorized home care in Haralson County.
Ready to explore VA home care in Haralson County, Georgia? Contact Serenity Care & Compassion today to discuss the Veteran’s care needs and next steps.
Eligibility for VA Homemaker/Home Health Aide services, clinical determinations, referrals, authorizations, service availability and authorized hours are determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Contacting Serenity Care & Compassion does not guarantee VA eligibility or authorization.
Suggested FAQ Schema
Does the VA pay for home care in Haralson County, Georgia?
Eligible Veterans may receive VA-authorized Homemaker and Home Health Aide services when applicable eligibility and clinical requirements are met and services are available.
What is VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care?
It is a VA home and community-based service that can provide eligible Veterans with assistance with authorized daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting and mobility.
How do I request VA home care for a Veteran in Haralson County?
Contact the Veteran’s VA health care team, social worker or case manager and ask about an evaluation for Homemaker and Home Health Aide services.
Can Veterans receive home care in Bremen, Georgia?
Veterans in Bremen can ask their VA health care team whether they qualify for Homemaker/Home Health Aide services and whether an authorized community provider is available for their location.
Does the Veteran need a VA authorization before starting community home care?
Routine VA Community Care generally requires VA approval or authorization before care is provided by a community provider.
Is Georgia part of the VA Community Care Network?
Yes. Georgia is in VA Community Care Network Region 3, which is administered by Optum.
Can I tell the VA which home care agency I prefer?
Families can communicate their provider preference to the VA and ask whether that provider can be considered. The VA controls the referral and authorization process and applicable network requirements.