VA Home Health Care Programs

Does the VA offer any home health care programs for veterans?

  The VA does offer quite a few different programs related to home health care for veterans, and also some geared toward support of the veteran caregiver in the home.  To qualify for any of these programs the veteran must first be registered with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).  To get registered for VHA and enroll in the system, you need a copy of your DD-214, a completed VA Form 10-10EZ (Application for Health Benefits) and a valid ID.  No medical records are necessary. If the veteran does not have a DD-214 one can be requested with the help of a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), the National Archives, or other avenue.

  There are some general numbers at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center you can call for assistance in this area.  For a new home healthcare (HHC) request, you should start with your primary care team and their main number is 303-399-8020, Option 2.  If you already have HHC and want to talk to the HHC Coordinators, they can be reached at 303-329-8500. 

  Below is some general summary information we got from the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center regarding programs they offer, to give you an idea of what is available.

Community Adult Day Healthcare (CADHC) Program (Vet’s Club)

Adult Day Health Care is a community facility-based program Veterans can go to during the day for social activities, peer support, companionship, and recreation.  The program is for Veterans who need help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, or fixing meals. This program is also for Veterans who are isolated, or their caregiver is experiencing burden. Adult Day Health Care can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services.

Health services such as care from nurses, therapists, social workers, and others may also be available. Adult Day Health Care can provide respite care for a family caregiver and can also help Veterans and their caregiver gain skills to manage the Veteran's care at home.

Some Veteran participants and the VA Geriatric Dementia Care team call it the “Vets Club”- instead of the Adult Day Healthcare Program - as a more appealing name.  In ECHCS, these services are provided at 8 community day centers located throughout the Denver Metro and Pueblo areas.

Community Living Center (CLC)

A Community Living Center (CLC) is a VA Nursing Home. There are two CLCs in Colorado: in Grand Junction (970-242-0731) and in Pueblo (719-295-7260).  Unlike many nursing homes, a Community Living Center resembles "home" as much as possible.  There are activities for Veterans of all ages and family-friendly places for visiting. Veterans are invited to decorate their rooms, and pets may be allowed to visit.

Veterans may stay for a short time or for the rest of their lives.

The mission of a Community Living Center (CLC) is to restore each Veteran to their highest level of self-identified well-being. It also prevents Veterans’ declines in medical and mental health status, and to obtain comfort at the end of their lives.

Community Nursing Home (CNH) Program

VA contracts with 23 community nursing homes to care for Veterans across the state of Colorado.  The VA CNH Program authorizes and monitors VA paid nursing home care. The nursing home provider and care team will be the Veteran’s primary care team while they are at the nursing home. Veterans may reestablish care with their VA provider when/if they discharge from the nursing home. In ECHCS there is a VA Social Worker (SW) and Registered Nurse (RN) assigned to each VA contracted nursing home. The VA SW and RN team provide onsite visits and clinically review Veterans’ care. The VA SW and RN team can also provide assistance to their nursing home care team with specialty care, appointments, and discharge resources.

The specific nursing homes that are open and/or accepting new Veterans changes on a routine basis. An email is sent from the ECHCS CNH team, especially during the covid-19 pandemic, with updates to all social work staff of which CNHs are open and/or accepting new residents.

State Veterans Home (SVH)

State Veterans Homes are facilities that provide nursing home and domiciliary care to Veterans, their spouses, and gold star parents.  Residents are either 70% service connected or greater, have Medicaid, or can pay privately.   ECHCS is affiliated with 5 SVHs across the state of Colorado.  Locations include: Aurora, Walsenburg, Homelake, Rifle, and Florence.  Referrals are managed directly through the facility. 

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Social Work: Denver Metro and Southern Colorado (2 locations)

Home Based Primary Care is health care services provided to Veterans in their home. A VA physician supervises the health care team who provides the services. Home Based Primary Care is for Veterans who have complex health care needs for whom routine clinical-based care is not effective.

The program is for Veterans who need team based in-home support for ongoing diseases and illnesses that affect their health and daily activities. Veterans usually have difficulty making and keeping clinic visits because of the severity of their illness and are often homebound, but that is not required.

This program is also for Veterans who are isolated or if their caregiver is experiencing burden. Home Based Primary Care can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services.

Medical Foster Home (MFH) Program

Medical Foster Homes are private homes in which a trained caregiver provides services to a few individuals. Some, but not all, residents are Veterans. VA inspects and approves all Medical Foster Homes.

A Medical Foster Home can serve as an alternative to a nursing home. It may be appropriate for Veterans who require nursing home care but prefer a non-institutional setting with fewer residents.

Medical Foster Homes are private residences where the caregiver and relief caregivers provide care and supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The caregivers can help the Veteran carry out activities of daily living, such as bathing and getting dressed. VA ensures that the caregiver is well trained to provide VA planned care. While living in a Medical Foster Home, Veterans receive Home Based Primary Care.

Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Program

The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is an optional benefit for those with Medicaid, Veterans 70% service connected or greater, 60% service connected and Unemployable, or the primary reason a Veteran requires nursing home level of care is care for a service-connected disability (any percentage, including 0%), or through private pay. 

PACE focuses on individuals 55 years and older who are at risk for nursing home placement and can live safely in the community with increased services.  PACE features medical and social services that can be provided at an Adult Day Health Center, in a home, in the community.  Transportation may be included to and from the program as well as select specialty care such as dental, social work, and psychology.  Veterans may be eligible for VA specialty care services that are not available through PACE and are clinically indicated. This program is only available in select area codes. 

Tele Geriatrics

The Tele Geriatrics program offers consultative and co-management of geriatric issues including dementia, polypharmacy, functional limitations, and falls. Veterans can receive evaluations of cognitive concerns, medication review, advance care planning, and connection to VA and community-based resources. The Veteran and/or family will be seen by a social worker, geriatrician, pharmacist and gero-psychologist (if indicated) for either a one-time evaluation or ongoing co-management of geriatric or cognitive concerns as needed. Visits are conducted at the veterans CBOC or VA Video Connect (VVC) to home.

Tele Palliative Care

The Tele Palliative program offers consultative and co-management for Veterans with serious illnesses (heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, cancer, dementia). Veterans are assisted with goals of care discussions, symptom management, and discussions of community-based resources, including hospice. The veteran/family will be seen by a social worker, palliative care provider and psychologist (if indicated) for either a one-time evaluation or ongoing co-management of palliative care needs. Visits are conducted at the veterans CBOC or VA Video Connect (VVC) to home.

Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Program

The VDC program serves Veterans of any age who are at risk of institutional placement and their family caregivers. VA Medical Centers purchase these services on behalf of Veterans from State Units on Aging (SUA), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC), known collectively as Aging Network Agencies.

The VDC Program is targeted for Veterans and caregivers whose home care needs exceed the average number of hours generally available through VA’s Homemaker/Home Health Aide Program or have difficulty with the traditional agency-based home care system. Veterans with ALS, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries are also served in VDC. All Veterans and caregivers enrolled in the program desire to self-direct their home care.