DAV urges Congress to expand caregiver, home- and assisted‑living supports as veterans age
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Summary
DAV told committees that veteran caregivers are under strain and that VA should expand home-based services and assisted‑living options, while the organization described its own caregiver support initiative and asked Congress for more funding and program authority.
Disabled American Veterans told the joint hearing that caregiver support and long‑term care need urgent attention as the veteran population ages, and the organization urged Congress to fund expanded home‑based services and create assisted‑living options for service‑disabled veterans.
Commander Daniel Contreras, national commander of DAV, said caregiver needs have grown and that VA projections show the number of veterans 85 and older will increase substantially in the next decade. He said caregivers often sacrifice employment and their personal health to provide unpaid care, and that taxpayer savings result because caregivers help veterans avoid government‑funded residential care.
Contreras highlighted DAV’s own caregiver support initiative, launched in October 2023, and said it had connected more than 1,400 caregivers to public and private resources. "We are exceptionally proud of the success of our program, but the responsibility to provide such support ultimately rests with the VA," he said, and asked Congress to increase resources for expanding home‑based services and assisted‑living options.
Witnesses and members also discussed the Homemaker and Home Health Aide program and other long‑term care options that range from home health to community living centers. Joy Elam, DAV legislative director, told the panel that long‑term care must include a wide variety of services and that the committee should consider assisted‑living options that could help younger veterans who need support yet want to live independently.
Lawmakers from rural districts emphasized access gaps for veterans outside urban centers. Representative Kilmer and others noted that veterans in remote areas often face choices between caregiving and paid employment; the witnesses said telehealth and local community partners can help but that more options are required.
Ending: DAV asked Congress to fund and legislate expanded home‑based services and assisted‑living options, to recognize caregivers’ contributions and to require VA to build capacity so aging and service‑disabled veterans can remain in homes and communities with dignity. Committee members said they would continue discussions on long‑term care options and funding.