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Question; Is there any VA help for A/C

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    Question; Is there any VA help for A/C

    I really NEED air conditioning in warm weather. I would LIKE to have central air. I hear central air is not only better, but also more economical to run. I was wondering if anyone here knows of any VA help getting/installing central air. I do know I can apply for a grant to move our laundry to the main floor. We have been having one of our kids take our laundry to a laundry mat for us. They are not always available at desirable days We have a basement hook up, but its hard for either my wife or me, with my MS and she has cerebral palsy, so neither of us can navigate the stairs well or safely, especially with a basket of cloths.ThanksGomer, aka Sir Falls-a-lot

    #2
    Hi Gomer,

    Congratulations on your rating first of all, typical of the VA - too little, too late.

    They advertise this program, where they provide funds for you to hire your own contractor. I hope we live long enough for you to get this grant:

    http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/adaptedhousing.asp

    Also, you need a social worker either from a hospital where you have been a patient, from a state agency or an MS/CP agency, or all of them. My husband is handy and very giving, and there is nothing he cannot do or will not do.

    Our church has Handy Helpers, and there are quite a few like him, and they perform home repairs or handicap modifications, whatever is needed. A person does not have to be a church member, they do not have to be financially needy, just make a request. Some can afford to hire someone, but for instance an elderly lady who lives alone may be reluctant to invite contractors into her home. If someone can afford to pay, and chooses to pay, they can make a donation to the church for the benefit of Handy Helpers.

    The men have a fundraiser each spring tuning up lawnmowers, and they use this money plus any donations to purchase materials they use for the work. The church has just started a car ministry, no fundraising to pay for materials yet, but the church has paid for the parts for cars where someone cannot afford the repairs. I am bringing this up as a potential resource that hopefully is known by people who are accustomed to obtaining funds or services for the needy.

    Good luck and God Bless.

    Comment


      #3
      THANKS GA dancing........I would not qualify for either of those grants in that link. I do not know if there is such a thing as a MS or CP agency in Michigan? Maybe I should look into that as well.My wife has mild cerebral palsy. She became the bread winner when I became disabled in the mid 80s. A few years ago she ended up disabled as well.

      Ya might say I became Mr Mom, hey I swear my wife married me because I could cook and sew, not just because I had a good job back then. (BTW, my wife is NOT allowed to touch my singer)My wife got her SSDI quickly, first try, took me years. once I got an attorney I did get my SSDI quickly. of course she was only a few years from retirement age, and I was in my 30s!IN a strange twist, some of the VA bennies, have helped her some. When I first got S/C'd for MS, I bought her a rollator, and the VA wheel chair ramp also helps her with her rollator.GOMER...... aka sir-falls-a-lot, married 44 years to Lady Falls-a-little

      Comment


        #4
        Gomer,
        Now that you are service-connected you should qualify for a Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant. HISA Grants have a lifetime maximum of $6800 to help with medically necessary improvements to your home. Most veterans use it to make their bathrooms more handicap accessible with grab bars, raised toilets, ramps, widening doors, etc. General information about the grant can be found here: https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/psas/HISA2.asp


        The HISA grant cannot be used for central air conditioning, but can be used for putting AC in your primary living quarters. This is covered by "VHA HANDBOOK 1173.08" dated June 15, 2007, Page 4, Item F.
        f. Air Conditioner. Room air conditioners, when prescribed, may be provided to an eligible veteran suffering from a spinal cord injury, neurological condition(s), and/or severe respiratory or coronary disease, which is substantially worsened by exposure to heat and humidity, and where the absence of a controlled environment subjects the veteran to health-threatening circumstances.

        NOTE: Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) can provide a room air conditioner only for the primary living quarters. If central air conditioning is required, it can only be considered under the HISA benefit.


        The complete document is located here: https://www.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1578


        Before deciding how to use your HISA Grant please have your PCP refer you to prosthetics. Each prosthetic office is different, but mine will put in exterior ramps, grab bars and raised toilets without using your HISA Grant. So please check with them to see what things they may help you with.

        Your local VA should also have a social worker that may know of local resources that you may be able to tap into.

        In addition, there is a program called Independent Living (IL) that falls under Vocational Rehabilitation & Education. Depending on your counselor this program can be wonderful or miserable like getting your claim approved. The VA sends a therapist to your home and they analyze what could be done to help you out the most. Then your counselor will sit with you and construct a plan. Again, this program can be a complete nightmare, but that's the VA in general.

        Here's a link if you want to consider trying to use the program: http://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/...ent_living.asp

        Comment


          #5
          Hi Gomer,

          I goggled some corporate and charitable programs for veterans that help with housing modifications, especially Home Depot who teams up with Habitat to do repairs. Also, there are probably many religious organizations who, like our church, assist veterans and disabled for free. You really need a local social worker because they know who to contact for specific needs. My neurologist was at Shepard Spinal Center, a clinic/hospital that specializes in neuro/spinal diseases, and they have social workers on staff who know who to contact for additional services.

          Here are some that I found and I hope maybe at least one will be helpful. It is already almost June, summer is here and you need and deserve air conditioning.

          http://veteransnationalassistancefund.org/home.aspx

          https://corporate.homedepot.com/gran...housing-grants

          http://www.military.com/military-rep...-for-vets.html

          https://www.voa.org/the-home-depot

          http://www.myfinancialprograms.com/h.../improvements/

          https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD...ip/homerepairs

          http://www.mi211.org/housing-and-hom...nse-assistance

          https://www.grantwatch.com/cat/38/veterans-grants.html

          https://www.michigan.gov/documents/m...e_222025_7.pdf

          http://www.michiganbusiness.org/cm/F...ce%20Guide.pdf

          http://www.homeadvisor.com/r/grants-.../#.WSjqY-vyvWI

          http://www.referweb.net/UWSE/MatchLi...ation%20Grants

          http://www.new-horizons.org/cmtvet.html

          http://www.nmcaa.net/home_repair.asp

          http://www.operationwearehere.com/Fi...ssistance.html

          http://www.grantvine.net/Services/Ho...nt-Grants.html

          http://www.hwchomeworks.com/veterans.html

          http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2housing.htm

          http://www.legislature.mi.gov/public...nsbenefits.pdf

          God bless you on this Memorial Day - and, Thank You For Your Service!

          Pat

          Comment


            #6
            The VA installed a wheelchair ramp, w/o HISA. The ramp one year and the wheelchair came more than a couple months later, the following year, go figure? Here in much-caine, getting it OK'd by prosthetics was a no problem, they had to get it past a COMMITIE! Took 3 complete tries, evals etc and changes to the request to get it past the COMMIEs. They finally got it OK's by the commies by ordering it w/o arm rests and sideboards. Weight of a chair is an issue for me, so I needed a light weight model.

            HISA will NOT help me with making MY bathroom h/c friendly accessible. WHY.. let me tell you. See I started working on modifying our main bath a couple years ago. Collecting parts here and there, on sale. I designed the changes myself. ( I designed a whole house in the late 70s & and had it built) I took over 2 closets next to the old bath, making the bah a lot bigger, with plenty of room to get inside and even turn around in there with a W/C. . It's not quite done, but 100% functional. Since I had started the project the VA considers doing anything to my bath, beyond installing hand rails, they consider maint/repairs, NOT covered by HISA.

            Moral of the story... the more you try and do YOURSELF ....... well you get the drift.....Another feature I designed into our new bath was a space to eventually install a washer and dryer in the bathroom. There was (partly removed) a washer & gas /dryer in the basement, but it was/ not safe for either of us to even try and use the basement laundry (both very old washer & dryer long busted & need replacing) . I was told the VA will consider, (told that would be permissible) under HISA to MOVE the laundry hook-up from the basement to the main floor, (in the bathroom). A Friend and mostly the kids have helped us with the laundry situation, (going to a Laundromat) Lots done, lots more to be done............GOMER........ aka Sir Falls-a-Lot

            Comment


              #7
              Thanks GA............. ........Once upon a time I was stationed at NAS Albany (previously a USAF SAC base), not too far from the home town of famous peanut-land Sunday school teacher/POSTUS aka Plains GA. ... ... I thought habitat only built new and refurbished houses, I was not aware they help with home repairs. They have a habitat for humanity store only a few blocks, maybe 1/2 mile less from my home. They have an office and sell old/used house parts there. I should check into them. .... ....

              I shop Home Depot frequently for stuff, taking advantage of their disabled vet discount. Our HD currently (under current mgr) is also dog friendly, they welcome dogs and even keep dog treats at the service desk. At HD they know my YODA by name, and he KNOWS they have dog treats. One time I went in at the exit/checkout end (I usually do, more convenient, especially when you have a bulky item/s) and dragged me on my scooter to the service desk, for you know what.

              I try and do as much as I can on my own. One time it took me nearly 4 hrs to replace a light fixture, that I could have done in 20 minutes long ago, but I was far more proud of that 4 hr job, because I DID IT! I tend to push myself at times, even had a few falls, a few broken bones, a few surgeries and one hospitalization for acute kidney failure (weak CDH stage-3 kidneys do not like 5 broken bones), trying.....

              Thanks GA, & U 2 MarcoGOMER aka Sir Falls-A-Lot

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