A disability such as a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, illness or amputation changes an individual’s life in an instant. The effect it can have on family members is often equally as traumatic. A disability not only changes the physical dynamic of a family but also reshapes the emotional and psychological status, as well. And if the injury was sustained in combat, the added dimension of possible combat-related stress can have lingering repercussions if not diagnosed and treated properly.
The Veterans Administration (VA) understands the difficulties that follow the onset of a disability and has developed a series of programs to rehabilitate, educate, and train families for their new life ahead. These programs include the physical, psychological, social and vocational rehabilitation required for a successful return to the community. VA has also implemented assistance and grant programs to help families in areas such as health care and post secondary education for children in the years following onset.
Certain VA programs begin during the acute stages of disability and are offered on an ongoing basis following discharge. In addition to offering acute medical care and comprehensive case management, many rehabilitation programs offer educational programs that provide informal classes for the individual, family and/or primary caregiver. Peer mentoring programs offer support from other veterans with similar disabilities who are living successfully in the community. Therapy programs such as adaptive driver training, recreation, day trips, community reintegration, independent living, and aquatic therapy are also available at many VA medical centers.
Eileen Craffey, MS, M.Ed, is an aquatic therapist at the VA Medical Center in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, who has worked with newly injured veterans as well as outpatients since 1984. She believes the VA’s unique therapy programs such as aquatic therapy are beneficial to an entire family. “I have seen how a sport such as swimming brings veterans and their families together. There is a social aspect of this type of therapy where spouses, children, and friends grow and learn together. It is a part of the normalization process that relieves the pains of the injury and teaches families that they can still experience lifetime activities together even years after a trauma,” Craffey explained.
The VA also offers other programs for veterans and their families at the time of discharge. Psychosocial support assistance exists in the form of individual, couple, family therapy, and caregiver support groups. Sex education assists with sex therapy and fertility counseling. And social workers assist in identifying needed community resources and providing emotional support to patients, families, and caregivers. Post discharge services assist with referrals to community agencies such as vocational rehabilitation, visiting nurses, and short and long-term accessible housing options.
Depending on the veteran’s disability, other benefits are available following discharge. A disability pension should be established and may change if the veteran marries. Housing grants and home loan guarantees may be available to qualified veterans. In certain cases, Commissary and Exchange privileges exist for veterans and family members. Lifetime medical coverage may extend to spouses and children through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of VA (CHAMPVA) or Department of Defense programs such as TRICARE. Life insurance policies, such as Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI), may extend to the family and offer security in the event of death. Burial and memorial benefits, as well as a death pension, are also available.
VA also provides educational assistance to qualifying dependents of veterans. A monthly stipend is paid for full-time post secondary school attendance with lesser amounts for part-time training. Children must generally be between the ages of 18 and 26 to receive educational benefits, though extensions may be granted.
No one ever plans on having a disability. But like so many other things in life, nothing is ever certain. The VA offers numerous opportunities for individuals and families to live full and complete lives following the onset of disability. It’s up to you to take advantage of these programs. Work with your VA counselors to learn what is available to you and your family!
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