“Before this happened, our life was like any other normal people — go to work five days a week, get a weekend off, plan for retirement or vacations, and all of those things,” says Joseph Briseno. “But after this happened, we haven’t been on any vacations, there’s no more plans for retirement, and our savings have all been emptied.”
This is a common challenge many caregivers face: According to a survey released in 2010 by the National Alliance for Caregiving, caring for a wounded warrior can have a significant impact on people’s professional lives, and 59 percent of these caretakers have stopped working since they began providing care for a loved one. In addition, between 19 and 37 percent of caregivers who still work outside the home report they’ve voluntarily taken a reduction in pay and benefits in exchange for the flexibility they need to care for an injured veteran. And while their pay might get reduced, the medical expenses of caregivers increase exponentially. In fact, RAND Corp. — a nonprofit organization known for its public policy research — estimates out-of-pocket medical expenditures for family caregivers are 21/2 times greater than those of their non-caregiver counterparts; VA services support only a small portion of an estimated 1.1 million caregivers nationwide.
Although the time and expense of being a caregiver didn’t surprise Joseph Briseno, the lack of support for caregivers in 2003 did. While Jay was able to get treatment at then-Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., his parents were unable to find many caregiver resources they needed at the time.
“It surprised me a lot, especially me being a veteran,” Joseph Briseno says.
Over the years, however, there has been an increase in resources available for these family members. For example, Joseph Briseno now is able to enjoy certain benefits — from moral support he receives from the Wounded Warrior Project when he takes Jay to doctor’s appointments to money for personal care aides from the VA’s Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Services Program, which provides funding that allows caregivers to have more control over their loved one’s long term care services.
“After this happened, we haven’t been on any vacations, there’s no more plans for retirement, and our savings have all been emptied.”
— Joseph Briseno
Available support for caregivers
In the years since Jay was injured in Iraq, the VA has paid more attention to the needs of those caring for wounded warriors; as a result, the agency offers a number of benefits to ensure veterans and caregivers alike receive the support they need.
“Taking care of our nation’s veterans is the VA’s highest priority, and we know that being the caregiver of a veteran can be a difficult job,” says national VA spokesperson Gina Jackson. “We want people to know that as they care for the veteran they love, the VA offers a number of services that can provide caregivers with the type of support that’s right for them.”
VA services to these military families include benefits such as:
■ the Caregiver Support Line, (855) 260-3274, which enables family caretakers to speak to licensed professionals when they need information about the services they can receive or a sympathetic ear to voice their concerns;
■ Caregiver Support Coordinators, licensed health care professionals who are available to help families gain access to the resources they need to care for their loved one; and
■ respite care, which allows families to receive up to 30 days of caregiving services a year so caregivers can take a break from their responsibilities to refresh and recharge.
FEBRUARY 2014 MILITARY OFFICER 57
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