I am having Dad's physician fill out form 21-2680 and the question I have is on question #25
..."Does the claimant require nursing home care"...My dad is in an assisted living facility and is technically not in the "nursing home" wing of the complex. He is located in the assisted living area of the complex...Should we instruct the doctor to indicate "yes"
(even though the question reads nursing home?)
In addition, dad cannot prepare his own meals, can only walk, unassisted, for about 150 feet before he gets tired; he can bath himself in the shower; he only goes out of the home if he knows he will only be walking short distances otherwise he needs someone to assist him in a wheel chair as he cannot walk long distances; he has the nurses set up his weekly medications in pill boxes and they monitor him to ensure he is taking them daily (he takes them himself); the nurses draw his insulin into syringes each week and prepare them for him; he can eat on his own and does not need assistance for this. He has very poor balance, has diabetes, has had major heart and leg surgeries for poor circulation and blockages; Based upon these issues mentioned, do you think he qualifies? I'm wondering if he is still too independent for the VA approval process...or does the simple fact that he is in an assisted living facility qualify?
