The VA offers more long-term care than most families realize, from a nurse who visits the house to a full-time nursing home bed. What a particular veteran can get depends on three things: whether they are enrolled in VA health care, what their clinical needs are, and what is available near where they live.
Step one: enrollment and the extended care form
Almost every program below requires the veteran to be enrolled in VA health care first. If they are not, apply through VA.gov or at any VA facility. Once enrolled, the veteran’s VA social worker can open the conversation about long-term care. Many of these services carry a copay that depends on service-connected status and finances, and the VA figures that copay from VA Form 10-10EC, the Application for Extended Care Benefits.
Nursing home care
The VA has three nursing home settings:
- Community Living Centers are nursing homes run by the VA itself.
- Community Nursing Homes are regular nursing homes in the community that hold a VA contract, so a veteran can stay closer to family.
- State Veterans Homes are owned and run by states. Utah has four; see our guide to Utah State Veterans Homes.
Whether the VA pays depends on service-connected status, disability level and income. Under federal law, the VA must provide nursing home care to veterans who need it for a service-connected condition, veterans rated 70% or more service-connected, and certain veterans rated 60% who are unemployable or permanently and totally disabled. For other veterans, the VA may provide nursing home care when resources allow, but it is not guaranteed. If the VA will not pay, the veteran may use Medicare for short skilled stays, Medicaid, or their own funds.
Help at home
| Program | What it is |
|---|---|
| Home Based Primary Care | A VA team, led by a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant, that makes primary care visits at home. It includes care managers, social workers, rehab, psychology, nutrition and pharmacy staff. The veteran does not have to be homebound. |
| Homemaker and Home Health Aide | A trained aide, supervised by a registered nurse and employed by a VA-contracted agency, who helps with bathing, dressing and daily tasks. |
| Skilled home health care | Community agency nurses and therapists for wound care, physical therapy and similar needs. |
| Adult day health care | A daytime program with care, activities and social time. |
| Respite care | Short-term care so a family caregiver can rest, either at home, at adult day care, or with a short stay in a VA Community Living Center or community nursing home. |
| Home telehealth | A VA care coordinator watches health readings sent from equipment in the home. |
| Hospice and palliative care | Comfort-focused care. VA hospice has no copay. |
Veteran-Directed Care: hiring your own helpers
Veteran-Directed Care gives the veteran a set budget for in-home services and lets them, or a representative, hire and manage their own workers. Those workers can include a family member or a neighbor. A counselor helps with the hiring and paperwork. It is not offered everywhere, so ask the VA social worker whether it is available through VA Salt Lake City.
Medical Foster Homes and assisted living
A Medical Foster Home is a private home where a trained caregiver looks after a few people around the clock. The veteran keeps getting care from the VA’s home-based team while living there, but the VA does not pay for the home itself. The VA estimates residents pay about $1,500 to $3,000 a month, agreed in advance with the caregiver. To qualify, a veteran must be enrolled in Home Based Primary Care, and a home must be available in the area.
Assisted living is not run, staffed or paid for by the VA. The VA may still cover extra services inside assisted living, such as visits from a VA provider. Many wartime veterans and surviving spouses cover the rent with VA pension with Aid and Attendance.
When the VA sends care into the community
Many of these services are delivered by community providers through VA Community Care. The VA must approve that care in advance, except for some urgent and emergency care. A veteran can qualify when the VA does not offer the service, cannot meet its access standards, or when the veteran and the VA provider agree community care is in their best medical interest. For primary care, mental health and extended outpatient care, the VA’s published standard is a 30-minute average drive or a 20-day wait.
Where to start in northern Utah
Northern Utah veterans are served by VA Salt Lake City health care. The main hospital is the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 500 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, reachable at 801-582-1565 or toll-free at 800-613-4012. Closer to Ogden, the Ogden VA Clinic is at 3945 South Washington Boulevard, Suite 1, in South Ogden. Ask for a social worker and say you want to discuss long-term care options.
What to do next
- Confirm the veteran is enrolled in VA health care.
- Ask the VA primary care team for a social work referral.
- Complete VA Form 10-10EC so you know the copay before choosing.
- Write down what a typical day looks like now, including nights. That helps the VA match the right service.
Common questions
Does the VA pay for nursing home care?
For some veterans, fully. The VA must provide it to veterans who need it for a service-connected condition or who are rated 70% or higher, and to certain others. For everyone else, it depends on income and available resources.
Does the VA pay for assisted living?
No, not the rent. The VA may cover medical services delivered inside assisted living, and the VA pension with Aid and Attendance can help the veteran pay the bill.
Can the VA pay a family member to care for a veteran?
Yes, in some cases. Veteran-Directed Care can pay a family member hired by the veteran, and the VA’s comprehensive caregiver program pays a monthly stipend to eligible family caregivers. Our guide to VA caregiver support in Utah explains both.
Does the VA pay for hospice at home?
Yes. Enrolled veterans with a terminal condition and less than six months to live can receive VA hospice at home, in a clinic, or in a VA Community Living Center, with no copay.
Trying to fit VA benefits together with other care? We can help you see the whole picture and compare local options, free. Tell us about your loved one or call 801-859-7000.
Sources
- VA: Long-term care options
- VA: Community Nursing Homes
- VA: Medical Foster Homes
- VA: Veteran-Directed Care
- VA: Community care eligibility
- VA Salt Lake City health care: Contact us
This guide is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Coverage rules change; confirm details with the program or your plan.
