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My office receives a lot of calls inquiring about home health care through the VA. There are services they offer but a veteran must meet certain criteria. First, the veteran must be enrolled in the VA health care system and second, the veteran must be referred for home health care services by their VA primary care provider. Some of the services the VA may be able to provide are:

The Homemaker Program is designed to help veterans in need of light housekeeping and errands. Services are designed for veterans who either live alone or have other members in the household who are impaired and, therefore, not capable of doing chores.

The Home Health Care Aide Program provides a professional from a home health care agency to come to the veteran’s home and assist him/her with bathing and personal care.

In-Home Respite Care can provide up to 30 visits of respite care per year for veterans who have a live-in caregiver. The program is designed to help caregivers of veterans who cannot be left at home alone, and it allows them an opportunity to leave the home for appointments or errands while the veteran is cared for at home by a trained professional.

Home Hospice provides an interdisciplinary team of professionals and volunteers from a community hospice agency to offer comfort and end-of-life care in the home for veterans with an advanced disease that is life limiting and unresponsive to disease-modifying treatment.

Home Based Primary Care will provide primary care to homebound veterans with a chronic disease. It allows the veteran to remain in his/her home while they receive necessary health care services. This care is not an option for veterans who live more than 50 miles from a VA Medical Center.

Care Coordination Home Tele-health provides in-home monitoring of patients with congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes and COPD. The patient can use their telephone and be monitored from the comfort of their home without having to travel to a VA facility.

Skilled Home Health Care includes skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and social work. This service is usually episodic and based on a skilled need.

Right now, there is a waiting list for most of these services. The length of the list varies but the VA is trying very hard to take care of all veterans’ needs as quickly as possible. If you would like to request any home health care services, you must see your VA primary care provider for a referral.

Tammy Walters is available at 715-369-6127 or twalters@co.oneida.wi.us.