Paralysed widow gets help just in time

"I've had to struggle so hard to do what I can do," Betty told me at the end of a workshop. Her tired eyes looked up at me and I could see the strain on her face. "I'm not sure how much longer I can do it."

Betty had gone into assisted living about two years ago, when she would no longer keep up her house without a lot of help from her son and two daughters. "I didn't want to be a burden on anyone," she said. So they looked around for a place close to the kids and found the retirement community at Village North.

As she settled in and got the help she needed, the financial challenges began to confront her. She was afraid of running out of money, so she started to cut back on things like bathing assistance, medication reminders and help with dressing. Although she wasn't able to move herself very well, she took it upon herself to struggle in and out of the bathroom, lift herself in and out of her wheelchair to get dressed and to do whatever she could around her small apartment.

Neither Betty nor her children had ever heard of the Aid and Assistance Benefit, or they would have applied much sooner. "When mom first got here, she could have been having the help she needed without spending all of her money," said Suzanne, one of her daughters. "We didn't even know mom had cancelled the shower assistance until we were at the family meeting."

Betty and on of her children attended a workshop at Village North. They were surprised, and a little skeptical about how the AAWV could get $12,000 tax free for their mom each year without charging them anything. But Betty's mood was becoming darker with the passing weeks and one of the kids decided to come to the private family meeting.

A look at Betty's finances showed that she was close to qualifying for the benefit without doing any planning at all. With minimal effort, she was totally qualified and her entire 26 page application was prepared and sent out by the advocacy group in Michigan. Each application is prepared under the direct supervision of John Casterline, VA accredited attorney.

Armed with the confidence that she would soon be getting more money to pay for her care, Betty reestablished some of the services she had stopped getting.

Her kids noticed a difference in the next week. "Mom is much more relaxed and happy."

The Aid and Attendance benefit was provided so that veteran families could use it. There is no need to become destitute or desperate in order to apply. The Missouri members of the American Association of Wartime Veterans want to help as many seniors as are eligible without any charge or obligation.

*Because of the personal nature of the issues discussed, some of  the names have been changed to protect confidentiality. Our testimonials contain actual names and cases, however. In accordance with FTC rules, disclosures are on file. No one has received any compensation whatsoever for their testimonial comments.