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luvnmom
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« on: January 20, 2012, 03:12:15 PM » |
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My mom is a surviving spouse of a WWII veteran. She has no assets, and her only income is the monthly $991 she receives from Social Security Disability. Mom had lived in a Senior Community with a friend for years, splitting the cost of rent & living expenses, with my assistance (since her expenses exceeded her income). As her mental health deteriorated, her doctor recommended moving her into an assisted living community. We looked into this, but were shocked to find that the facilities in our area charge anywhere from $300-$600 a day!!! With 5 kids to care for, we certainly could not afford that. We moved her in with us, applied for a A&A, filled out the paperwork incorrectly (we did not list any unreimbursed medical expenses since we did not realize we could be compensated for her care), and she was approved for $99. We are now in the 8th month of trying to get her monthly award increased. We have received a letter from the VA asking for an itemized listing of what care I provide and a cost associated with each service. How do I do this??? It would cost us $20/hour for a "real" 24/7 caregiver, shouldn't I be able to break down what I provide with an hourly rate? I included a caregiver agreement which provided a fee of about $7/hour. I have been told by the VA and others that VA will only consider caregiver costs that have already been paid, not the true cost of a projected 24/7 worker. I am being asked by the VA to explain how my mother is paying me $7/hour for her care if her only income is Social Security. Technically, she is $200 short of being able to cover the cost ( which includes money spent on diapers). They want to know who is paying the shortage...well, obviously, I am, but being the caretaker, how do I say that? Can I respond back to the VA stating that my mother is short $200 month, or should I just adjust the caregiver amount to be equal to her income from Social Security. If one cancels out the other, will that be enough to get her the full award? Mom is very dependent on care, requires many trips to the doctor, and truly needs the assistance.
Any advice for what to state on the Statement in Support of Claim would be appreciated!
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