Everyday support
Ask what help is available for personal care or daily routines, who provides it, and how scheduling and costs work. Confirm the actual tasks a service can perform.
Care at home
Understanding Care at Home for Veterans
Care at home can mean different kinds of help. Begin by understanding the task, then ask the care team or service organization which options fit.
Start with the kind of support needed
Help with everyday activities and skilled services are different types of support. VA's official home and community-based services information describes options such as homemaker and home health aide care, home-based primary care, and skilled home health care. Eligibility and availability depend on the program and individual circumstances.
Skilled services
Ask the responsible clinician whether a skilled service is appropriate and what order, assessment, or coverage process is needed. A website inquiry alone does not arrange clinical care.
Questions to ask before choosing a service
- What help is offered, and what falls outside its scope?
- Does the service cover the veteran's address and accept new requests?
- Who determines eligibility, authorization, or coverage?
- What costs might the veteran or family be responsible for?
- Who schedules visits and handles changes or missed visits?
- How does the provider communicate with the veteran, caregiver, and care team?
CareForVets development status
CareForVets is developing a future home health model. Clinical home health services are not currently offered through this website. The resources below help you investigate existing options with the organizations responsible for them.
Start with the source
Official starting points for care at home
Each organization sets its own eligibility and availability. These listings are resources, not CareForVets partner endorsements.
Care at home
VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
Learn about help with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, and moving around at home. VA explains what aides do, how needs are assessed, and how this support differs from nursing care.
- Who it helps
- Veterans who need personal care assistance and the people helping them plan care.
- Access and location
- VA program; services vary by location.
- How to start
- Ask a VA social worker. Enrollment, community care eligibility, clinical criteria, and local availability apply; ask about possible copays.
Visit VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
Source checked · Official source
Care at home
VA Skilled Home Health Care
Read about skilled nursing, therapy, and other services delivered at home through agencies contracted with VA. The page covers both care after a hospital or nursing home stay and support for ongoing needs.
- Who it helps
- Veterans and families discussing skilled services at home with a care team.
- Access and location
- VA program; available services vary by location.
- How to start
- Contact a VA social worker or case manager about enrollment, community care eligibility, clinical criteria, local agencies, and copays.
Visit VA Skilled Home Health Care
Source checked · Official source
Care at home · Family caregiving
VA Respite Care
Explore temporary care that gives a family caregiver time away from caregiving. VA describes options at home, in adult day health care, or in a nursing home, depending on assessed needs and available services.
- Who it helps
- Veterans receiving care and their family caregivers.
- Access and location
- VA program; respite settings and availability vary locally.
- How to start
- Ask a VA social worker about clinical criteria, scheduling, and copays. Enrollment is required; community-provided respite also requires community care eligibility.
Visit VA Respite Care
Source checked · Official source