VA benefits for senior care in Delaware can cover home-based medical care, nursing home stays, and up to $2,874 a month in tax-free Aid and Attendance for a veteran who needs daily help. If your loved one served, the challenge usually isn't eligibility. It is knowing what to ask for.

This guide covers every VA program that helps pay for or provide senior care, how to access them in Delaware, and what happens when VA care isn't enough on its own.

In This Guide

What VA Long-Term Care Programs Are Available in Delaware?

The VA offers multiple long-term care programs. Eligibility for each depends on the veteran's enrollment priority group, service-connected disabilities, and clinical need.

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC)

A VA physician supervises a health care team that visits the veteran at home. HBPC is designed for veterans with complex medical needs who have difficulty getting to a clinic regularly. The team typically includes a doctor, nurse, social worker, and may include rehabilitation therapists and a dietitian.

This isn't the same as the home health care Medicare pays for. The Medicare home health benefit is short-term and skilled: a nurse or therapist visits for a few weeks after a hospital stay or a new diagnosis, then the coverage ends. HBPC is the opposite. It provides ongoing, coordinated primary care at home for as long as the veteran needs it, with a VA doctor directing the whole team. For a veteran who struggles to get to a clinic, it can replace most routine office visits. For veterans who qualify, it's one of the best programs the VA offers.

Adult Day Health Care

Veterans attend a structured daytime program that provides health monitoring, social activities, rehabilitation services, and meals. It also gives family caregivers reliable daytime respite. Programs may be at VA facilities or contracted community adult day centers.

Community Living Centers (VA Nursing Homes)

Community Living Centers are VA-run nursing homes providing full nursing facility care, including help with daily activities and skilled nursing. There are over 100 CLCs across the country, located at larger VA medical centers.

CLCs serve veterans who need short-term rehabilitation (after surgery or hospitalization), long-term nursing care, hospice care, or respite care.

Community Nursing Home Program

The VA contracts with community (non-VA) nursing homes to provide care for veterans who need nursing home services but live far from a CLC or when CLC beds aren't available. The VA covers the cost for eligible veterans.

Respite Care

The VA provides at least 30 days of respite care per year for caregivers of enrolled veterans. Respite can be in-home (a substitute caregiver comes to the house) or facility-based (the veteran stays temporarily in a CLC or community nursing home). Contact the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.

Not sure which VA program fits your family's situation? Chat with Brevy to get a personalized recommendation.

Delaware State Veterans Homes

Delaware operates one State Veterans Home, the Delaware Veterans Home in Milford (100 Delaware Veterans Blvd, Milford, DE 19963), which opened in 2007 on a 24-acre campus. It provides skilled nursing and long-term care across four units, with a total of 144 skilled nursing beds, including a special needs unit for residents with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The Home is overseen by the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs, within the State's Office of Veterans Services.

To be eligible for admission, an applicant must have been honorably discharged from active service (with at least 180 days of service), or be a National Guard or Reserve member eligible for retirement pay at age 60 or with at least 180 days of active duty. The applicant must also have resided in Delaware for at least one year before applying and have a medically determined need for a long-term level of care.

One home, one waitlist. With 144 beds serving a state that is home to roughly 62,500 veterans, the Delaware Veterans Home can have a wait for admission. Don't let that stall a family that needs care now. While a bed opens up, the VA's home-based and community nursing home programs above can bridge the gap, and Aid and Attendance can help pay for a private assisted living or nursing home in the meantime. Ask the Home directly about current wait times when you apply.

Does Your Veteran Qualify for Aid and Attendance?

The Aid and Attendance pension is a monthly cash benefit for veterans (or surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities.

2026 Rates

Category Monthly Amount
Veteran alone Up to $2,424
Veteran with spouse Up to $2,874
Surviving spouse Up to $1,558

Who Qualifies

To be eligible, the veteran must have:

  • Served during a wartime period
  • Be 65 or older, or permanently disabled
  • Need regular help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or eating (or be bedridden, in a nursing home due to incapacity, or have severely limited eyesight)
  • Have a net worth below $163,699 (including assets and annual income, not counting the primary home)

The VA enforces a 3-year look-back period on asset transfers.

How to Apply

Apply using VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance) and Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Pension). Processing typically takes 3 to 6 months.

You don't have to wait for a decision before arranging care. Many families arrange the care their loved one needs now and file the claim at the same time, since Aid and Attendance is meant to reimburse the cost of care a veteran is already paying for.

Don't do this alone. The Delaware Office of Veterans Services provides free, VA-accredited help with VA claims and can significantly improve your chances of approval. A denial isn't the end of the road either. VA decisions can be appealed, and the same office can review the decision, gather stronger evidence, and refile for you at no cost.

For the full application walkthrough, see our VA Aid and Attendance guide.

Veteran-Directed Care

The Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) program gives veterans a flexible monthly budget to hire their own caregivers, including family members. The veteran (or their representative) decides who provides care, what services to purchase, and how to manage the budget.

In practice, the VA sets the budget based on the veteran's assessed level of need, and a financial management services provider administers it, handling payroll and tax obligations for the caregivers the veteran hires. Unlike many Medicaid self-direction programs, VDC has no blanket prohibition on hiring a spouse. This is a good option for veterans who want control over their care and prefer family members as caregivers.

VDC isn't offered at every VA medical center, so confirm availability before you count on it. In Delaware, contact the social work department at the Wilmington VA Medical Center, the state's VA medical center, to ask whether VDC is available in your area and how to enroll.

Community Care Through the MISSION Act

The MISSION Act (2018) expanded when veterans can receive care from community (non-VA) providers. You may be eligible for community care if:

  • The VA can't offer an appointment within 20 days (primary care/mental health) or 28 days (specialty care)
  • The drive to a VA facility exceeds 30 minutes (primary care) or 60 minutes (specialty care)
  • The care you need isn't available at your VA facility
  • Community care is in your best medical interest

In 2025, the Senator Elizabeth Dole Act removed a second-review step on the "best medical interest" pathway, making it faster for eligible veterans to access community care.

For Delaware veterans who live far from a VA medical center, the MISSION Act can be the difference between getting timely care and waiting months.

How VA Benefits Work with Medicare and Medicaid

VA benefits don't replace Medicare or Medicaid. They work alongside them.

  • VA + Medicare: Many veterans use both. Medicare covers care from non-VA providers, while VA covers care at VA facilities. You can't bill both for the same service, but having both gives you more options.
  • VA + Medicaid: As a general rule, basic VA pension counts as income for Medicaid, but the Aid and Attendance allowance paid above the basic pension is generally not counted toward Delaware's long-term care Medicaid income limit, which is administered by the Division of Medicaid & Medical Assistance (DMMA) within Delaware Health and Social Services. Delaware long-term care Medicaid also lets certain unreimbursed medical expenses (such as Medicaid-noncovered equipment, dentures, hearing aids, and private health insurance premiums) be protected from the income a resident must pay toward facility care.
  • The Delaware Veterans Home accepts VA, Medicaid, and Medicare, so these payment sources can layer together.

The interaction between these programs gets complicated, and income rules and limits change. Confirm a veteran's specific situation with DMMA and a VA-accredited Veteran Service Officer.

How to Access VA Senior Care Benefits in Delaware

1
Step 1

Confirm VA health care enrollment

If the veteran isn't already enrolled in VA health care, apply at va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply. The VA assigns a priority group (1-8) based on service-connected disabilities, income, and other factors. Higher priority groups get more benefits with lower or no copays.

2
Step 2

Get free help

Don't file claims or applications alone. The Delaware Office of Veterans Services provides free, VA-accredited assistance: its Veteran Service Officers help veterans prepare and submit pension, Aid and Attendance, and housebound claims, appeal VA decisions, and request military records, all at no cost. Reach them at (302) 739-2792 or DOS_OVS@delaware.gov to schedule an appointment. An accredited Veteran Service Officer never charges for claims services, and your local VA medical center can also direct you to social work and benefits staff.

3
Step 3

Gather records

You'll need the veteran's DD-214 (discharge papers), medical records documenting the need for care, and financial information. If you can't find the DD-214, the National Personnel Records Center can provide copies (request through va.gov).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to be service-connected disabled to get VA long-term care?

Not for all programs. Veterans with a high service-connected disability rating get priority access to VA long-term care, often at little or no cost, but other enrolled veterans can access many programs too, depending on their priority group and available resources. Aid and Attendance doesn't require a service-connected disability at all; it requires wartime service, age/disability, and need for help with ADLs.

Can a veteran's spouse live in the Delaware Veterans Home?

The Delaware Veterans Home's published eligibility rules focus on the veteran's own service, one year of Delaware residency, and meeting skilled nursing level-of-care requirements. Admission policies and any provisions for spouses can change, so contact the Home directly for current rules.

How long does it take to get Aid and Attendance approved?

Typically 3 to 6 months from application to first payment. Working with a Delaware Veteran Service Officer can speed up the process and reduce the chance of errors that cause delays. You can apply while your loved one is already receiving care.

Does the VA pay for assisted living?

The VA doesn't directly operate assisted living facilities, but Aid and Attendance payments can be used to pay for assisted living. The Veteran-Directed Care program can also fund assisted living services.

Next Steps

If you're caring for a veteran who needs help, start by calling the Delaware Office of Veterans Services at (302) 739-2792. They can assess which benefits apply and help you file at no cost.

Learn More

VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in DelawareVA Aid and Attendance in Delaware for 2026: who qualifies, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and where to get free help filing in Delaware. Care TypesHome Care vs Home Health in DelawareHome care vs. home health in Delaware: home health is skilled care Medicare covers; home care is non-medical help it won't. That line decides who pays. Care TypesNursing Homes in DelawareNursing homes in Delaware in 2026: a private room runs about $181,588/year, well above the national median. What it costs, who pays, and how to vet a facility. Care TypesCost of Senior Care in DelawareCost of senior care in Delaware (2026): above the national line in every setting, with a private nursing-home room about $181,588 a year, plus how to pay. Care TypesAssisted Living vs Nursing Homes in DelawareAssisted living vs. a nursing home in Delaware: the care-level line, the cost gap, and who pays. Medicaid covers nursing homes, not assisted-living rent.
Your next step Find personalized help navigating VA senior care benefits in Delaware at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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