As we honor those who serve today, a few reminders about services which help veterans and their family caregivers:

1. National Association of Atomic Veterans is looking for the approximately 195,000 vets who were exposed to radiation from atmospheric nuclear tests between 1945 and 1962. These men and women could receive a one-time $75,000 benefit from the U.S. government under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 or a monthly disability payment of up to $2,673 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Few veterans have applied for these benefits. Their widows and children are eligible too if their family member died before receiving a benefit. For more information, visit here.

2. Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits for veterans helps offset some of the cost of nursing homes, assisted living communities, personal care homes, or homecare expenses. For more information, visit the VA website.

3. The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. For more information, go here.

4. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supports a toll-free National Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274. For more information, visit here.

5. Family caregivers for veterans of all eras may be eligible for respite care, education and training on what it means to be a caregiver, how to best meet the Veteran’s care needs, and the importance of self-care when in a caregiving role. For more information, please visit here.

6. The Blue Button, hosted on MyHealtheVet, a secure Web portal, enables veterans to easily share their electronic VA medical records with physicians or family members.  For more, go here.

Thanks so much to all who have served.

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