Veterans Can Benefit Greatly From Assisted Living

It’s always worth celebrating your past and the memories that have helped mold you. At senior and retirement communities in the Tri-State such as Chelsea Senior Living, there typically are large groups of New York and New Jersey area veterans who reflect and chat about their days in service.

Providing this outlet for veterans to talk to each other is vital for their mental health. But senior veterans have an abundance of opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise receive if they were living at home. Most senior living communities offer outstanding financial incentives and overall wellness benefits. For more than 30 years as a leading senior living provider, we have observed the following benefits with our residents.

Making New Friends is Invaluable

Social activities provide residents from a variety of backgrounds with a chance to make new friends while mingling with other residents. Senior communities often have numerous veteran residents.

The living situation between veterans is invaluable as it allows them to share stories and connect with those with similar life experiences. Although not everyone will understand the struggles and experiences of serving the country or going to war, other veterans will know what they went through. For elders and veterans, living in a traditional neighborhood can be lonely, but in senior assisted living communities, they have the opportunity to meet other veterans with similar experiences.

Staying Active and Busy is Crucial

Life in a community of elders and veterans is never dull. Senior living and communities employ activity directions to keep residents enriched, active, and happy in their community. The activity director’s primary responsibility is to schedule enriching activities daily. There are always planned activities providing something for everyone, regardless of their interests and movements.

Most activities will focus on residents’ physical fitness, some will focus on emotional health and wellness, others will focus on resident socialization, and some activities will solely be for fun and entertainment. Examples of scheduled activities could include: 

• Bingo Night
• Dances Night
• Seated Tai Chi
• Book Clubs
• Board Games and Card Games
• Cooking Competitions and Events
• Elder Yoga
• Field Trips
• Shopping Trips
• Meditation Therapy
• Birthdays and Anniversaries
• Religious Service
• Crafting and Hobbies
• Casino Trips
• Movie Nights

Veterans Will Maintain Their Independence

Some may feel that moving an elderly family member into a residential community implies a loss of their independence. In reality, the opposite happens. These communities provide the tools and support needed for elders and veterans to live independently. For example, when a new resident moves in, staff will complete an intake session that evaluates the senior’s skills to identify areas where they may need help.

If the elder can dress, clean, prepare food, and perform most daily living activities unassisted, they will be encouraged to keep doing so until assistance is needed. If, however, the resident needs assistance with daily living activities, the staff will make a plan to provide the resident with any help or support they need. The staff treats every resident with dignity and respect and supports them throughout their lives.

Safety for Veterans and Seniors is Vital

There is a considerable benefit in knowing that a veteran or loved one is living in a New Jersey or New York senior living community of their peers: knowing they are safe. Staff monitors each resident day and night to ensure their safety, nutrition, and adequate care. The staff and community will also provide memory care for a loved one with dementia or memory issues. If the resident requires mental health services, staff are ready to provide these services.

Veteran Communities Include a Variety of Beneficial Services

Communities of veterans, elders, and those in need of care are more than just places to live. These communities are warm, caring, and supportive homes for all residents. They are spaces designed to enrich the lives of those who live there safely, providing them with the respite care for seniors that they seek.

One of the advantages of living in a community like this is that they provide necessities. These communities help elders with laundry, meals, and other daily tasks. Knowing that their loved one is receiving excellent care means that a family does not need to worry about their loved one’s nutrition. Staff can bring meals to the person to enjoy in their own space, or meals may occur communally.

Many communities also provide laundry services for residents. The staff assists with chores, ensuring they handle a resident’s basic needs. Having the basics of cooking and laundry out of the way will allow the resident to spend more time socializing, engaging in hobbies, and enjoying leisurely activities. Community living is invaluable for veterans in these caring and loving residential communities.

Benefits Not Every Veteran Knows They Have

Many veterans are unaware that they qualify for special government-funded programs that can help cover the cost of senior living. Veterans may be eligible for benefits that could reduce their monthly expenses by thousands of dollars, even if they didn’t serve long enough to receive a retirement check. Here are a few options that veterans interested in senior living might consider. 

• VA Pension – this is possibly the most commonly known benefit for veterans. A veteran must have had at least 90 days of active duty service with one day during a wartime period for qualification. Veterans must also be 65 years or older, permanently disabled, receiving nursing or in-patient care, a recipient of SSI, or a recipient of SSDI to qualify for the VA Pension.
• Housebound / Aid & Attendance – Veterans that qualify for the VA Pension may also be eligible for the A&A or Housebound benefits. These benefits provide help in paying for health-related caregiving. A&A covers in-facility care, while Housebound covers caregiving for permanent disabilities. A veteran cannot qualify for both A&A and Housebound, however. Veterans must require personal assistance with daily tasks, bed rest, or nursing home due to physical disability or mental illness. Veterans also qualify if they have a concentric contraction of their visual field of no more than five degrees or an eyesight correction of no more than 5/2000 visual acuity in both eyes.
• Survivor’s Pension – Benefits for Veterans also extend to their spouses and children. A Survivor’s Pension provides a monthly benefit for surviving loved ones. The veteran must meet VA Pension requirements.

Get Back Your Freedom to Live Life

Let us help you gain back your freedom. Don’t let aging make you feel like you cannot live your life. Our communities assist elders and veterans, enabling them to enjoy a higher-quality of lifestyle during their golden years. Let our community give you back a sense of comfort, safety, and freedom while providing friendly and like-minded seniors to socialize with around them. Call us for a tour and to answer any questions about our community.