ORLANDO, Fla. — Since 9/11, the Orlando VA has offered many levels of support for family members who take care of veterans who returned from warzones with serious medical needs.
Now, that federal program is expanding to include veterans from all eras.
“This was a long time coming for a lot of us,” said Orlando Veterans Affairs Program Manager Rafiq Raza.
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News that the Federal Veterans Administration will now offer caregiver assistance to injured war vets of all eras couldn’t come soon enough at the Orlando VA, where post 9/11 war vets have already been receiving that needed help.
In the two weeks since this federal program expanded, Orlando alone received more than 200 applications
“50 the majority of applicants are 70 or older and we’ve already received five World War II applicants, so that’s been awesome to receive,” Raza said.
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The program comes at no cost for any veteran who has a 70 percent service-connected disability or higher.
After they apply to have a family member named as their caregiver, that candidate will be screened and, if accepted, later trained and set up to work one-on-one with a care coordinator to meet the patients' needs through the VA.
The help includes resources like education, support, a financial stipend, health insurance and travel costs.
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Right now, the first phase of the program is underway for applicants who served on or before May 7, 1975.
Veterans who served in the 16 years after that will be added in two years.
More info on how to apply for program can be found here.
Cox Media Group
