Starting October 1, 2020, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expanded its support for family caregivers, an expansion that might very well affect veterans with myositis. Now the VA will include eligible veterans who have a service-connected disability of 70 percent or higher, regardless of whether it resulted from an injury, illness or diseases.
Expansion will specifically include Veterans of earlier eras, notably those whose health was affected on or before May 7, 1975. This means that family caregivers who care for eligible older veterans will qualify for support, including stipends, training, peer mentoring, respite care, a telephone support line, and self-care courses for caregivers of covered Veterans enrolled in VA health care who need personal care services. Learn more
I need support to care for my husband ,a 100% disabled Viet Nam vet.
Marilyn: I hope this reply will be of some help.
My name is Jim Cressman and I host the Military Veterans with Myositis Affinity Group. I, too, am a disabled veteran from the Vietnam war.
There is a tremendous program available from the VA to caregivers, such as yourself and your husband. It is called the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers or PCAFC.
My wife and I applied for it and were provided a substantial monthly allowance for whatever expense we needed to cover.
Here is the website address: You may want to copy and paste it to get to this website.
https://www.va.gov/family-member-benefits/comprehensive-assistance-for-family-caregivers/
Additionally – There is a regular monthly zoom meeting for Veterans, Spouses and Caregivers that is the best source of information for Veterans with myositis – anywhere in the U.S. We would love to see you there – – I promise – It will be helpful. Best of Luck – Jim.