Veterans in Sarasota have more home care funding paths than most families realize. Between VA-paid home care services, the Aid and Attendance pension benefit, Medicare Advantage plans, PACE, and Florida Department of Elder Affairs programs, an eligible veteran may receive in-home support at little to no out-of-pocket cost. The challenge is that these programs sit across different parts of the VA and state systems, each with its own eligibility rules, application process, and contact points.
At Seniors Helping Seniors® Suncoast Senior Care, we are contracted with the VA to provide in-home care to eligible veterans in Sarasota and Manatee counties. When care is funded through the VA, the veteran pays zero out of pocket. We are also contracted with multiple Medicare Advantage plans, the PACE program, and several Florida Department of Elder Affairs programs, so a veteran who does not qualify through one path may still have a funded path to care through another. Our owner, Andy Malivuk, got into this work because of his own family’s experience with home care. His very first Seniors Helping Seniors employee was his grandfather, a WWII Navy veteran.
Below, we walk through each option, who qualifies, and the practical steps a Sarasota family needs to take to get started.
How VA-Paid Home Care Works in Sarasota
The VA offers in-home care as part of its medical benefits package, separate from the pension system. Under this path, the VA authorizes care and pays the contracted community agency directly. The family does not receive a cash benefit to spend on their own.
The VA System That Serves Sarasota
Veterans in Sarasota and Manatee counties are served by the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. Bay Pines operates local outpatient clinics that families in this area will typically interact with first:
- Sarasota VA Clinic: 5682 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34233. Phone: 941-371-3349.
- Bradenton VA Clinic: 5520 State Route 64, Bradenton, FL 34208. Phone: 941-721-0649.
A veteran must be enrolled in VA health care and registered as a patient at Bay Pines before accessing most VA-arranged services. New patients can apply online or in person with VA Form 10-10EZ and supporting documents.
VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
This is the core “VA pays the agency” program most Sarasota families are looking for. The VA describes Homemaker and Home Health Aide (H/HHA) care as in-home help from a trained aide who works for an organization that holds a VA contract. The aide can help with bathing, dressing, meals, toileting, mobility, and other daily activities.
H/HHA care is part of the VHA Standard Medical Benefits Package, which means all enrolled veterans are eligible if they have the clinical need. The VA assesses each veteran individually and authorizes a set number of weekly hours, typically ranging from 4 to 20 hours per week. The VA then pays the contracted agency directly. For veterans with service-connected disabilities, the service is generally provided at no cost. A copay may apply for some veterans based on their service-connected disability status.
H/HHA care can also be used to provide respite for family caregivers who need a break from daily caregiving responsibilities.
How to start: Talk with a VA social worker at Bay Pines or at either local clinic. The social worker can evaluate whether H/HHA care is appropriate and help coordinate authorization.
What Is the Community Care Network?
When the VA authorizes care to be delivered by a community provider rather than a VA facility, that authorization flows through the Community Care Network (CCN). CCN connects the VA with approved community agencies. The care is still provided on behalf of, and paid for by, the VA.
Two requirements apply: the veteran must be enrolled in or eligible for VA health care, and the VA care team must approve the referral before care begins. Families do not self-authorize this. The first step is asking the VA care team for a referral.
CCN is the mechanism that allows a local in-home care agency like ours to deliver VA-paid care. The veteran receives care from our team, and the VA covers the cost.
What Is Veteran-Directed Care?
Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) is the VA’s self-directed home care option. Instead of the VA sending an agency, the veteran receives a budget and manages it with help from a counselor. The veteran can hire their own workers, including a family member or neighbor.
VDC is available to enrolled veterans who are eligible for community care, meet the clinical criteria, and live in an area where the program operates. The Administration for Community Living lists Bay Pines among the Florida VA systems that have made VDC referrals, working with local aging-network partners including the Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Florida.
How to start: Ask a VA social worker at Bay Pines whether VDC is available in Sarasota.
VDC is worth knowing about, but it works differently from agency-delivered care. With VDC, the veteran or their representative manages the hiring, scheduling, and oversight. With VA-contracted agency care through the H/HHA program, the agency handles all of that.
Aid and Attendance: Monthly Pension Support for Home Care Costs
Aid and Attendance (A&A) is not a home care service the VA sends into the home. It is an additional monthly payment added to a VA pension for qualified veterans or surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. The money goes directly to the claimant, and the family uses it to help cover care costs with a provider of their choice.
The VA programs described above (H/HHA, CCN, VDC) sit on the health care side of the VA and are arranged through the VA care team. Aid and Attendance sits on the pension side and is a cash benefit. Understanding which side of the VA a program belongs to helps families figure out which application process to follow.
Who Qualifies for Aid and Attendance?
Aid and Attendance requires meeting both pension eligibility and a medical need:
Pension eligibility basics:
- Discharge that was not dishonorable
- Income and net worth within VA limits (the current net worth limit through November 30, 2026, is $163,699)
- Wartime service meeting active-duty length requirements (for those who entered before September 8, 1980, at least 90 days of active duty with at least 1 day during a recognized wartime period)
Medical triggers (at least one must apply):
- The veteran needs another person to help with daily activities such as bathing, feeding, or dressing
- The veteran is bedridden
- The veteran is in a nursing home because of mental or physical impairment
- The veteran has severely limited eyesight under VA’s standard
2026 Aid and Attendance Rates
The VA publishes maximum annual pension rates (MAPR). Here are the monthly figures most relevant to Sarasota families:
| Recipient | Annual MAPR | Monthly Amount |
| Single veteran with A&A | $29,093 | ~$2,424/month |
| Veteran with spouse/dependent, with A&A | $34,488 | $2,874/month |
| Surviving spouse (no dependents), with A&A | $18,697 | ~$1,558/month |
Source: VA pension rates, effective December 1, 2025, and survivors pension rates, effective December 1, 2025.
How to apply: A&A claims can be filed online, by mail, or in person. The medical form is VA Form 21-2680. Applicants can work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative. Locally, the Sarasota County Veterans Service Office (941-861-8387) and the Manatee County Veterans Services Office (941-745-3795) provide no-cost help with VA claims.
Support for Family Caregivers of Veterans
Many veterans in Sarasota receive most of their daily care from a spouse, adult child, or other family member. Two VA programs specifically address that situation.
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
PCAFC supports family caregivers of veterans with serious service-connected disability needs. It does not send an agency into the home. It provides a support package for the person doing the caregiving.
To qualify, the veteran must have a VA disability rating of 70% or higher, need at least 6 months of continuous in-person personal care services, and be enrolled in VA health care. The family caregiver must be at least 18 and live with (or plan to live with) the veteran full time.
Benefits for the primary family caregiver can include a monthly stipend, caregiver training and education, mental health counseling, and at least 30 days of respite care per year.
How to apply: The veteran and caregiver apply together using VA Form 10-10CG, online, by mail, or in person. For questions, the VA Caregiver Support Line is 855-260-3274.
VA Respite Care
VA respite care provides short-term relief for family caregivers. It can be delivered at home, through adult day health care, or in a facility setting. All enrolled veterans are eligible if they meet the clinical criteria and the service is available. Nursing home respite is available for a maximum of 30 days per calendar year.
A copay may apply depending on the veteran’s service-connected disability status and financial situation. A VA social worker can help determine the copay amount and make respite arrangements.
What If the VA Path Does Not Work?
Not every veteran qualifies for VA-funded home care. Some may have a discharge status that creates eligibility issues. Others may have income or net worth above the VA pension thresholds. In those situations, several other funding paths can help cover the cost of non-medical in-home care in Sarasota.
Medicare Advantage
Original Medicare is generally not a fit for ongoing non-medical home care. Medicare’s own home health booklet states that it does not pay for custodial or personal care (bathing, dressing, housekeeping, meal preparation) when that is the only care needed.
Medicare Advantage plans work differently. These private plans can include supplemental benefits beyond standard Medicare, and some cover in-home support services. Whether coverage exists depends entirely on the specific plan.
At Seniors Helping Seniors, we are contracted with Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Longevity Health Plan, and Ultimate Health Plans, among others. For veterans enrolled in a qualifying Medicare Advantage plan, services may be covered at zero out-of-pocket cost. The plan assesses the individual, authorizes weekly hours, and our team provides care within that authorization. More details are on our paying for care page.
PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly)
PACE is a Medicare/Medicaid program for people age 55 and older who need a nursing home level of care but can live safely in the community with support. PACE can cover home care and personal care services as part of the participant’s coordinated care plan.
We are contracted with the PACE program, so eligible participants can receive our services as part of their PACE coverage.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs Programs
Florida’s Department of Elder Affairs runs several programs that can help when VA and federal paths do not apply. We are an approved provider for all four of these programs:
- Community Care for the Elderly (CCE): Provides community-based services to help functionally impaired elders live at home in the least restrictive setting.
- Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (ADI): Supports individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias with services that adapt as needs change.
- Home Care for the Elderly (HCE): Supports care for Floridians age 60 and older in family-type living arrangements as an alternative to institutional care, with a basic subsidy and possibly a special subsidy for services or supplies.
- Older Americans Act Title III-E (National Family Caregiver Support Program): Delivered through Area Agencies on Aging to support family caregivers.
How to start with Florida programs: The entry point is the local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). For Sarasota County, the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida can be reached through its Elder Helpline at 866-413-5337. For Manatee County, Senior Connection Center serves as the ADRC and uses the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337.
Comparing the Funding Paths at a Glance
| Funding Path | What It Is | Who Pays | Who Qualifies | How to Start |
| VA H/HHA Care | In-home aide through a VA-contracted agency | VA pays agency directly | Enrolled veterans with clinical need | Talk to a VA social worker at Bay Pines |
| Veteran-Directed Care | Self-managed budget for hiring caregivers | VA provides budget | Enrolled veterans eligible for community care | Ask VA social worker about local availability |
| Aid and Attendance | Monthly pension add-on paid to the veteran/survivor | VA pays claimant directly | Veterans/survivors meeting pension and medical criteria | File VA Form 21-2680; county VSO can help |
| PCAFC | Support package for family caregivers | VA provides stipend and services | Veterans with 70%+ disability rating | Apply with VA Form 10-10CG |
| Medicare Advantage | Plan-specific supplemental home care benefit | MA plan pays agency | Enrolled members of qualifying plans | Check plan benefits; call us to verify contract |
| PACE | Coordinated care program covering home care | Medicare/Medicaid | Age 55+, nursing home level of care, live in service area | Contact local ADRC |
| Florida DOEA Programs | State-funded community care programs | State funding | Varies by program; age 60+ for most | Call Elder Helpline (866-413-5337 for Sarasota) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VA home care cost the veteran anything?
For veterans with service-connected disabilities, VA-arranged home care through the H/HHA program is generally provided at no cost. For other enrolled veterans, a copay may apply based on disability status and financial information. Aid and Attendance is a separate cash benefit with no copay, but it is paid to the veteran rather than directly funding agency care. We always recommend asking the VA social worker to clarify the veteran’s specific copay situation before care begins.
What is the difference between Aid and Attendance and VA home care?
Aid and Attendance is a monthly pension payment the veteran or surviving spouse can use to help pay for care from any provider. VA home care (H/HHA, Community Care Network) is a health care benefit where the VA authorizes and pays for care through a contracted agency. With Aid and Attendance, the family manages the money and chooses the provider. With VA-arranged home care, the VA coordinates directly with the agency.
How long does it take to start VA-funded home care?
Once the VA authorizes care, getting started with our team typically takes 48 hours to one week, depending on the complexity of the care schedule. The VA authorization process itself varies. VA social workers at Bay Pines can provide specific timelines based on the veteran’s situation.
Can a veteran use more than one funding path at the same time?
In some cases, yes. A veteran receiving VA-arranged H/HHA care, for example, might also be eligible for a Florida DOEA program. The specifics depend on the individual’s eligibility for each program and how the programs interact. Our team can help families understand what combination might apply to their situation. Call us at 941-877-1000 or visit our paying for care page for more information.
What services are covered under VA-funded home care?
VA-funded home care through the H/HHA program can cover assistance with bathing, dressing, meals, toileting, mobility, medication reminders, light housekeeping, companionship, and other daily activities. The specific services authorized depend on the veteran’s assessed needs. You can see the full range of what we provide on our home care for veterans page.
Where should a Sarasota veteran start if they do not know which program fits?
Start with two calls. First, contact a VA social worker at the Sarasota VA Clinic (941-371-3349) or the Bradenton VA Clinic (941-721-0649) to discuss VA-specific options. Second, call us at 941-877-1000. Because we are contracted with the VA, Medicare Advantage, PACE, and Florida DOEA programs, we can help identify which funding paths may apply and walk you through the next steps.
Get Help Sorting Through the Options
Figuring out which VA benefit, state program, or insurance plan covers home care for a veteran is one of the most confusing parts of the process. Most families start with a short 10 to 15 minute call to talk through the situation and see whether our services are the right fit, with no obligation to move forward.
At Seniors Helping Seniors® Suncoast Senior Care, we serve veterans across Sarasota and Manatee counties with experienced, mature caregivers who are Level 2 background screened, bonded and insured. We match each client with caregivers based on skill set, personality, and proximity, and we track the Continuity of Care Index to make sure the same caregivers stay with the same clients over time. That consistency matters most for older veterans dealing with mobility challenges or cognitive changes, where a familiar caregiver can spot small shifts before they become bigger problems.
Seniors Helping Seniors Suncoast, 6901 Professional Pky E, Suite 266, Sarasota, FL 34240, 941-877-1000 or reach out online to talk through your veteran’s situation. We will help you figure out which funding path applies and how to get care started.
Each Seniors Helping Seniors office is independently owned and operated.