Veteran Directed Care Program

The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Program is a collaborative partnership between the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) and the Veterans Health Administration. The program provides services to Veterans to help them remain in their home or the home of a loved one, with the support of paid caregivers and purchased services such as:

• Help with personal care, medications and meals
• Rides, errands, housekeeping
• Memory care support
• Personal Emergency Response system
• Caregiver education, coaching and relief care
• Modifying or maintaining your home
• Good to support your independence
• Adult day services

Working with a VA Health Care System’s Community Health Nurse and a case manager with the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, the Veteran develops a plan to meet their care needs. The Veteran decides what goods and services are needed for them to live independently.

The program is self-directed, which allows the Veteran to manage the care services with the help of a care consultant and financial management provider.  It is built on the premise that the individual receiving care has the right and ability to assess and determine how and by whom they receive care.