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Contact 50 Plus Web Health for allergies, alzheimer's and dementia information. Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Veterans' Information
Veteran
Please insure you read breaking news from the VA at the end of this site.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA for short, offers a wide range of benefits to veterans, surviving spouses and other dependents.  Years ago as a Navy Vietnam Veteran they paid for my MBA at the University of Michigan.   My mother, an Army nurse in WWII, spent her final days at the Buffalo VA hospital and had a moving burial ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Veterans' hospitals were reported to be national leaders in efficiency and quality.  Recently there are reports the quality ratings may be overstated.   Also there are reports of infrastructure deficiencies. Please read the articles at the end of the page.

The VA appears to be making use of the internet to improve their overall efficiency and service to veterans.  They have a special web site for Health Care Programs for Elderly Veterans.  Click here.

The VA allows you to order a copy of your DD-214, discharge paper, on line.   I received my copy in two weeks.   Click here.

The National Institute of Health also has a special web page for VETERANS HEALTH.

This site will help eligible veterans, their surviving spouses and others access useful information on VA benefits.  Select articles on veterans benefits are included at the bottom.

Like any government agency, laws change.   A regular review of the laws and policies of the VA is important.

VA benefits fall into a number of major categories.   For a two page brochure of benefits from the VA, click here and click on “A Summary of VA Benefits” on the open page.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page

  • Health Benefits
  • Non-Health Benefits
  • Special Programs for Veterans
  • Voluntary Service

New handbook Updates Veterans Benefits
Obtain a free copy of the 2007 edition online. The 2008 edition will be available in March.

Select veterans can apply for select compensation, pension or vocational rehabilitation benefits on line. Click here 

A Summary of VA Benefits for Veterans and Dependents 2007 edition

This site has a 123 page summary of benefits for veterans and dependents.

VA Facilities Directory 

Search for facilities

 

MAJOR VA BENEFITS CATAGORIES

Surviving Spouses and Dependents

Surviving spouses and dependents of veteran's benefits web page including required documentation        

Education & Training Benefits

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment

Home Loans
Burial Benefits

 

Health Care

  • Long-Term Care
  • Nursing Home Care
  • State Veterans Home Program
  • Geriatric Medicine Research & Education Assisted Living
  • Pain Management

 

SPECIAL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES

Blind Rehabilitation Services
This service includes adjustment to blindness counseling, patient and family education, benefit analysis, comprehensive residential inpatient training, outpatient rehabilitation services, the provision of assistive technology, and research.

  

Agent Orange Health Effects and Vietnam Veterans
Information on health issues for Vietnam veterans exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. This site features current and back issues of VA's publication Agent Orange Review, and current issues of Agent Orange Fact Sheets, other publications, and answers to frequently asked questions. These publications can be searched by key-word or information on specific health concerns, Vietnam veterans and Agent Orange compensation policy developments, and other specific Vietnam War and Agent Orange activities.  

HIV/AIDS Program
The program disseminates a biweekly newsletter, publicizes new items available on the Internet, announces AIDS Service activities, and distributes other relevant HIV/AIDS information.  

Cancer Program
The VA cancer program ensures that users of the veterans health care system have easy access to consistently high quality cancer prevention, detection, and treatment services. Its Web site offers cancer facts, information about care, a list of VHA designated comprehensive cancer centers, and the VA's national cancer strategy  

Cold Injury
The VA has studies on the long-term effects of cold injury.  

Diabetes Program
The Web site for the Diabetes Program provides clinical guidelines, fact sheets, links to Web sites, and other information concerning the cost and management of diabetes.

Gulf War Illness
Information on health issues for veterans who served in the Gulf War. This site features current and back issues of VA's publication Gulf War Review, other publications, and answers to frequently asked questions. These publications can be searched by key-word for information on specific health concerns, Gulf War environmental exposures, Gulf War veteran compensation policy, research on Gulf War health, or other specific Gulf War activities.

Health Care Programs for Elderly Veterans
Geriatrics Strategic Healthcare web site provides information about hospice care, home based primary care, geriatric evaluation and management, domiciliary care, Alzheimer's/dementia program, adult day health care, and respite care

Kidney Diseases Program
The VA kidney diseases program ensures that users of the veterans health care system have easy access to consistently high quality renal diseases prevention, detection, and treatment services. Its Web site offers facts, information about care, a list of VHA dialysis centers, and the VA's clinical practice guidelines.

National Audiology & Speech Pathology Service
The ASPS is dedicated to providing high quality, comprehensive, state of the art clinical services to veterans with hearing, speech, language, voice, and swallowing disorders.

National Center Patient Safety
The National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) embodies the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) uncompromising commitment to reducing and preventing adverse medical events while enhancing the care given our patients. The NCPS represents a unified and cohesive patient safety program, with active participation by all of the 172 VA hospitals supported by dedicated patient safety managers.

National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The center carries out a broad range of multidisciplinary activities in research, education, and training to understand, diagnose, and treat PTSD. The Web site targets information to different groups, such as veterans and their families, women, clinicians, researchers, journalists, librarians, and students.  

  • Some PTSD cases arise from sexual trauma. For more information on this topic, consult the Web site of the Center for Women Veterans.

National Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers (MIRECC)
Generating new knowledge about the causes and treatments of mental disorders, applying new findings to model clinical programs, and widely disseminating new findings through education to improve the quality of veterans’ lives and their daily functioning in their recovering from mental illness. 

Center For Women Veterans
VA resource for women.  Great information on health benefits for women.

Social Work
VA Social Work's mission is to eliminate psychosocial complications as significant barriers to healthcare interventions for veterans and families. This is accomplished by developing and maintaining integrated, quality programs in patient care, research, education and prevention.

 

War Related Illness and Injury Study Center
WRIISC-DC provides service to combat veterans through clinical care, risk communication and research addressing potential environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes.

 

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

Visiting Nurse Program

Lists benefits and where it is available 

HealthierUS Veterans Web Site

Department of Veterans Affairs

The focus of this site is to educate veterans, their families and communities about the health risks of obesity and diabetes

 

VETERANS NEWS

 

 

Many Veterans Unaware They Qualify for Benefits

USA Today

January 8, 2008

How Do You Fund a War, But Not the Casualties?

Newsweek

October 29, 2007

 

Veterans’ Benefits System Needs Overhaul, Panel Says

The New York Times

(Free one time registration required)

June 8, 2007

Vets Disability Claims Going Nowhere

Army Times

May 22, 2007

Gas May Have Harmed Gulf War Troops

The New York Times

(Free one time registration required)

May 17, 2007

 

VA Medical Care Ranks as one of the Best in the World But it is Dogged by Red Tape

AARP Bulletin

May 2007 

Vets in Limbo

This article reports problems with the VA medical system.

AARP

May 11, 2007

 

Insult to Injury

Vets disabilities are being downgraded

U. S. News & World Report

April 16, 2007 

Broad Review Finds Problems at V. A. Clinics

The New York Times

(Free one time registration required)

March 21, 2007

5 Deaths at a V. A. Complex Draw Lawmakers’ Concern

The New York Times

(Free one time registration required)

April 3, 2007 

Veterans Director in Arizona Steps Down After Violations in Nursing Home

The New York Times

(Free one time registration required)

March 28, 2007

VA Hospitals Beset By Problems

USA Today

March 22, 2007

New VA Program Targets Obesity and Diabetes

February  26, 2006

How VA Hospitals Became The Best

Time Magazine

September 4, 2006

VA Reaches Out to Veterans Exposed to Mustard Agent
March 17, 2005

Benefits for Service Members, Vets and Family
January 24, 2005

 

 
 
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