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.
There are a number of advantages to self-directed care. You can hire a family member or someone who lives nearby to provide your care. If you already have someone who helps with your care and whom you trust, you can employ that individual as your caregiver or continue to use the same agency. You can also determine what services you want from a broader list of services that are available.
- Veterans can be any age
- Veterans must be enrolled in the VA Health Care System
- Veterans must need nursing home facility level of care and are interested in self-directed care
To learn more about the Veteran Directed Care Program, contact MNRAAA at 507-387-1256.
Printer-friendly VDC fact sheet (PDF)
For additional information on benefits for Veterans in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website at https://mn.gov/mdva.
MINNESOTA RIVER AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Administrative Office
201 N. Broad St.
Suite 102
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507.387.1256
Fax: 507.387.6223
201 N. Broad St.
Suite 102
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507.387.1256
Fax: 507.387.6223
Provided through Older Americans Act funding from the Minnesota Board on Aging.
