Nursing Home Definition vs. Assisted Living Definition & VA Form 21-526

[dappledog]

Thank you again for your previous timely response. Another question please. 

ISSUE:  In the VA Form "Application for Compensation and/or Pension (form # 21-526) Part D, Section III, question 6a asks, "ARE YOU NOW IN A NURSING HOME? YES or NO."

QUESTION: I have just moved both of my parents to an "assisted living" facility and not a "nursing home". In a previous response you stated that the VA considers them the same.  So, should I check "YES" to the nursing home question although it is in fact an "assisted living" facility?

Thanks

PS. Don't tell anyone but I am a retired fed gov't worker & found the form typically confusing & generally not user friendly.

[veteranadvocate]

My recommendation would be to line through the wording Nursing Home and write-in ‘assisted care’.  The VA will use one form to consider several benefits.  Just a few years ago the 21-526 form was only four pages, now it contains so many questions that does not pertain to most veterans.  I think they went overboard and I feel the shear number of questions causes some veterans to just give-up on filing their claims.  Maybe this was the goal.

The main purpose of this question is to draw attention to the VA rater that the claimant is entitled to a higher level of pension.

You will be submitting the same medical statement regarding the need for assistance and the cost for care.

Hope this answers your question.