How to Get a VA Homemaker or Home Health Aide
This is contracted personal-care help—not skilled nursing and not a cash payment to the family caregiver.
Start here
Ask the Veteran’s VA primary-care team or social worker for a Homemaker and Home Health Aide assessment. VA says enrolled Veterans may qualify when they meet clinical and community-care criteria, the service is available, and personal-care help is needed.
What to have in front of you
- Veteran’s VA health-care and primary-care information
- Help needed with bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, transfers, or shopping
- How often help is needed and what is unsafe now
- Current caregiver availability and signs of caregiver burden
- Other home-health, hospice, respite, or Medicaid services
What to say when someone answers
“I am requesting a Homemaker/Home Health Aide assessment for help with [daily activities]. Please document the clinical need, explain community-care eligibility, and tell us what hours and contracted agencies are available locally.”
Small but useful: Write down the person’s name, the date, the exact next step, and when you should call again.
Do this in order
- 1
Ask the VA provider or social worker to document each unsafe daily activity.
- 2
Clarify that an aide is not a nurse; request Skilled Home Health separately when nursing or therapy is needed.
- 3
Ask how many visits or hours the assessment may authorize and whether a copay applies.
- 4
Get the contracted agency name, first-visit date, care plan, missed-visit number, and reassessment process.
What happens next
A VA social worker helps arrange services through a VA-contracted organization. The aide is supervised by a registered nurse, and the authorized tasks and schedule are based on assessed needs and local availability.
If they say “we’ll put you on the list”
Ask whether another contracted agency has staff, whether respite or adult day health can fill part of the gap, and when the Veteran can be reassessed if daily needs or caregiver availability change.
Official sources
Checked August 23, 2026. Programs, hours, funding, and enrollment lists can change. Confirm details directly before relying on them.