On May 15th of this month, while speaking on the merits of volunteerism to graduates of the University of Maryland University College, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki stated in part, “people who make caring for others a personal devotion, a part of their everyday lives, that’s what’s needed – people who are willing to serve the needs of others.”
Two years ago, I was blessed to become married to a wonderful woman whom I have known for 25+ years. Prior to us living together before our marriage, my wife “volunteered” to be my personal care provider. For most of my nearly 43 years of wheelchair use, I took care of almost all my personal needs, but the wear and tear to my shoulder muscles has made me much more dependent on my spouse now.
After we were married, we applied for certain caregiver benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs which my spouse now receives. But compared to skilled nursing workers, the VA caregiver benefit amount is minimal at best. Much of what my spouse takes care of for me is “skilled nursing” care.
While I’m healthy now, because my wife is younger than me, it is likely that she will survive me. This fact worries me a great deal. I have some life insurance in place that I purchased in my late 20s, however I fear that it might not last my wife all that long. I’ve tried purchasing more life insurance but at my age and with my quadriplegia, no company is interested in insuring me.
When I pass from this earth, the caregiver benefit that my wife now gets goes away, and according to the Government Accounting Office, so does about 65% of my VA compensation. Actually, I believe it’s more than 65%, especially for a vet with a spinal cord injury who also receives “aid and attendance” and “R category” benefits from the VA.
There’s a bill in the House of Representatives, H.R. 2243, or the Surviving Spouses’ Benefit Improvement Act, that would increase the survivors’ benefit for spouses of totally disabled veterans by $316 per month. This is a start, and the Congress should pass this bill without hesitation.
But both the VA and the Congress need to take a closer look at survivor benefits for totally disabled veterans. I think that my wife’s income will be around 20% of what our total income is now. To my wife, I know that my care is her “personal devotion,” and yes it is a part of her everyday life, 24/7. She deserves better than to be left nearly destitute simply because she “volunteered” to be my primary caregiver.