EP #9: Unveiling Veteran Benefits: Pathways to In-Home Independence and Support Systems

Did you know there's a treasure trove of resources for our nation's heroes that often goes untapped? Together with Kristi Gurule, we're ushering in 2024 with a deep dive into the benefits and support systems aimed at improving the lives of veterans, especially those seeking to maintain their independence at home. Throughout our chat, we unravel the complex web of VA benefits and Medicare, illuminating a path to the additional support that many veterans are missing out on. We shed light on the staggering number of older veterans—7 million, to be exact—and the vital need for more accessible guidance to help them navigate post-service life.

Kristi, with her rich family history in the military, brings an intimate and passionate perspective to the table, highlighting that many veterans are unaware of the myriad of services that can significantly enhance their quality of life. The conversation moves from troubling to triumphant as we outline the various pathways veterans can follow to access in-home benefits at no extra cost. It's a celebration of our veterans, honoring their service while equipping them with the knowledge they need to live more comfortable lives. So, sit back and join us as we not only pay tribute to these brave men and women but also champion their right to a well-supported, independent lifestyle at home.

Please visit our website for more information: https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/florida/davie/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast, where we elevate the human spirit. Here's your host, Christy Grulay.

Jeremy: 0:11

Hello, hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast. I'm your co-host, jeremy Wolfe, joined by your host, christy Grulay. Christy, happy New Year to you. It is 2024 and I am ready for an exciting and prosperous New Year. It's going to be magical, it is.

Kristi: 0:33

That's right. Just claim all the goodness, right. It's all here for 2024. It's going to be a busy year here for the take it's going to be great.

Jeremy: 0:42

So we're going to kick off the New Year with a very, very important topic. We're going to talk about veterans.

Jeremy: 0:51

Yes yes, we are A ton of resources available out there for our great men and women service members of the country. If I could speak properly, it would be in good shape, and I know that Comfort Keepers has a lot of resources available as well, and you are very active in the community and you do a lot of support for our veterans. So please talk a little bit about your role with Comfort Keepers and what you do for veterans and the different resources available. And I know this is a big topic and we're going to probably pick up other segments on this moving forward, so we'll just touch on a few things here.

Kristi: 1:29

Okay, sounds good. So I think the biggest picture that I could pay is that most veterans you could approach any veteran and ask them if they know about services that would help them in their home. Most of them are going to say what are you talking about? They have no idea. And that's really a problem at a much higher, higher level, where there's so many benefits for the men and women who have served our country and why we are able to do the things that we do today, Yet they don't know what's available for them. So I'd like to start this all out by just sharing some facts and figures first. First fact we are huge supporters of our military. We absolutely are that to the core for my family. So, personally speaking, service members in the family. So it was never a question that we would serve our veterans in any capacity that we could, because they've done so much for us. Absolutely. And there are roughly 7 million veterans right now between the ages of 65 and 84.

Jeremy: 2:40

That's a lot of that 7 million between 65 and 84. Yeah, because I guess I guess a lot of the folks in that age range were involved with some of the wars. What is that? That would put them in Vietnam? Vietnam times, I guess right.

Kristi: 2:55

So, yes, a lot I mean and I have service members that are, I mean, well over that age to and younger but what I want to say is that this is our most vulnerable group of individuals that are wanting to remain independent in their home who most most veterans are actually seeking services through VA hospitals. So this is something that's really interesting. We can easily assume that a veteran does everything through the VA, but we know that the VA is very hard to get into. Communication can be difficult. I mean, it's a government entity, it's it's a lot.

Kristi: 3:31

So a lot of our veterans also have Medicare, so they're seeing their regular primary care doctor. They're not going to the VA hospital for routine checkups. They're really not in that atmosphere, but they're still a veteran. So this is a huge opportunity for veterans to understand that you may have never used your VA benefits for your medication, for your doctor's visits, for anything standard and routine, and that is okay. You're still a veteran and you can still qualify for VA benefits in your home at no cost to you. That's a win win for everybody. So there are a few different, a few different ways that veterans a can look into this. Like you said before, there's tons of resources online, tons.

Jeremy: 4:17

That's part. I think that's part of the issue, though sorry to cut you off. There is that people get overwhelmed and inundated by too much information. As you were just talking, I was thinking to myself. I wonder if the military, when somebody becomes a veteran and leaves the service, I'm sure they provide them some kind of list of all these resources, but there's so many of them, right, how do you get, how do you get through it all? How do you know what's available and what's not? It seems it's. I'm getting overwhelmed just thinking about everything that could be out there.

Kristi: 4:45

It is such a big topic but it's such a passionate topic of mine because our veterans should know our app. Our veterans absolutely should know. So, just in what you just said Maybe I can't say, but maybe our newest, you know service members who are leaving the military Maybe there is that information. Information is easier to share now, but think about our 80-year-olds. They did not get a paper, a handout here's brochures of what's going to be available to you now that you're out of the service. That was a different time, right, and things have changed since then too, at a much higher level.

Kristi: 5:18

So I think and I recommend always for veterans to look for their local county veteran affair office. Every county in the United States has a local county veteran service office. You want to be personal, you don't want to call a 1-800 number, you don't want to be on hold forever. Just walk into your local office where you have people that are trained and able to walk you through the documents that you would need to be able to provide and get qualified for services. I think that that can be, at times, the most daunting task, but when you have someone that understands the exact documents, can help you fill them out, can help you get the documents. If you can't find those documents they're all service-related, most of them I should say that's the person that's there to literally be your liaison, to help you get home care, and that's where I come in.

Jeremy: 6:17

So I know it's just 100% Everything you said. I'm sitting here thinking to myself how much easier that process is for people Again, when you have to get on the phone and wait on hold, that creates so much stress. But to be able to go somewhere and actually have a person a liaison, as you said sitting next to you walking you through the process, that takes such an incredible amount of stress and burden off our seniors in this process and it's such a huge thing. So, yeah, everything you said makes perfect sense. So you were about to say before I no, it's okay.

Kristi: 6:52

It is such an exciting topic though Truly it is Because right now there are so many veterans that could use the services that we provide. They just don't know that this benefit is there at no cost to them, and that's where I want to get the word out. I truly want everyone to know from as little to as much as you possibly need. There's a lot of different options. So, first step find your local county office for your veterans affairs, not the veteran hospital. That's not where you're going. You're not necessarily going to your primary care, but start there. Okay, we have veterans that are eligible for the VA aid and attendance. That is an incredible program, and that's not just veterans, but that's also surviving spouses. Surviving spouses don't know that they possibly have a benefit to help them in the home, but that's where all of this information comes into play. So, for single veterans, for married veterans, everything that a veteran may need at home to stay at home this is where this can come from up to $2,600 a month of paid services.

Jeremy: 8:04

Wow.

Kristi: 8:06

For a couple pieces of paper that need to be turned in and filled out. I mean it is worth it. It is worth definitely looking into. There's a veteran directed care programs too, again just more involved in a veteran's way of dictating their own health, their long term plan, so that they can stay in their home. There is the community care network, again. All of these are all VA veteran related to their services, whether they have full disability or not. Service related disabilities, though, automatically qualify you for these services. So it doesn't matter if there's a 10% disability because you've got hearing loss, doesn't matter, that automatically qualifies you for these services. And then some. I really think it's just a door that's being open for something that's already there, they don't know exists, that they can take advantage of.

Jeremy: 9:00

So are you guys allowed to be involved with that process at all? I'd imagine not. So a veteran calls you directly and says you know, I'd like to get services, and you find out they're a veteran. Are you then able to connect them? Do you work with liaisons at the Veteran Affairs Office that you can direct them to. Could you help them with that process, or do you have to just tell them oh, you got to call this place. Are you allowed to be involved with that?

Kristi: 9:27

Yes and I want to be involved with it Truly, I think. I think that that's where a relationship of foundation is set, is in the very beginning stages of tell me about you, how did you learn about us and where are you at already. There are some veterans that don't have to go to the local Veteran Office if they're already connected in with the VA. At that point I can step in faster and I can make the connections with caseworkers, social workers, and I can then discuss what their eligibility is for. In home care, veterans have 100% choice in the provider that they choose to come into their home 100% choice, and I think that that's really important for veterans to understand too.

Kristi: 10:12

You don't have to be assigned just anyone, and that initial contact Jeremy, being able to walk somebody through and connect them, really has them come all full circle and then services start with us. So that's just generally how how it works, and I love for people to call, not an expert. Please know this. There is so much information, like you said, but the first phone call to our office is always friendly and informational and will give you exactly the pass off that's required. But please expect there to be follow through, with us checking in with the VA to make sure that they received your call or that they've actually reached out to you. We don't want to just give you a number and say, hey, here's the number, go ahead, good luck. We are involved the entire time.

Jeremy: 11:00

You said you're not an expert. Don't sell yourself short. You are an incredible wealth of knowledge around, surrounding, around what you do, and I said this before, I keep saying it the passion that you have for what you do really comes across when you talk about it, and it's just so important for elderly to have people like you in the community to help them through these often difficult times. And it's just my hats off to you for what you do and obviously, my hats off. Hats off to our veterans out there and our service members and everybody that serves the country, whether a veteran or a police officer or firefighter, anybody that does public service. God bless your soul, because I need to do more myself and it reminds me every day to try to be a better person.

Kristi: 11:46

So well, we could all say that to Jeremy. We can, and it just comes down to advocating for those who absolutely need it. And that's really what we share as a team, as a company, is we advocate for what's right and what's necessary, and we love, we love getting to that point of being able to help them.

Jeremy: 12:07

All right to be continued. This topic will be touched upon again. Everyone thanks for tuning in and we will catch you next time. Everyone, have a wonderful day and a prosperous 2024. Take care.

Speaker 1: 12:19

Thank you for listening to the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast. For more information, visit ComfortKeeperscom or call 954-947-7927.