McAllen Senior AdvisorBy McAllen Senior Advisor Care Team · October 30, 2026
Eligible wartime veterans and surviving spouses can add Aid and Attendance to the VA pension, up to $29,093 a year for a single veteran through November 2026. McAllen's Texas State Veterans Home has 160 licensed beds, 60 of them Alzheimer's beds. Enrolled veterans can also ask the McAllen VA Clinic about home and community care.
Aid and Attendance, in plain terms
Aid and Attendance is not a separate check. It raises the VA pension's maximum annual rate for a wartime veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with daily activities, is bedridden, lives in a nursing home or has severely limited eyesight. VA pays the difference between that maximum and the household's countable income.
| Household (Dec. 1, 2025 to Nov. 30, 2026) | Maximum annual rate | About per month |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran with no dependents, Aid and Attendance | $29,093 | $2,424 |
| Veteran with one dependent, Aid and Attendance | $34,488 | $2,874 |
| Two veterans married to each other, both A&A | $46,143 | $3,845 |
| Surviving spouse, no dependents, Aid and Attendance | $18,697 | $1,558 |
| Veteran with no dependents, Housebound | $21,313 | $1,776 |
The key detail is that unreimbursed care costs reduce countable income. A veteran paying for assisted living, adult day care or attendants can qualify despite a moderate income.
The net worth limit
For December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, a claimant's net worth, meaning assets plus annual income, must be $163,699 or less. The home and a reasonable lot do not count, and neither do vehicles or household goods. VA looks back three years at asset transfers.
An accredited veterans service officer can file the claim free of charge. Be cautious of anyone who charges to prepare a pension application or proposes moving assets to qualify.
The Texas State Veterans Home in McAllen
The Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home on East Yuma Avenue is one of the Texas State Veterans Homes run by the Texas Veterans Land Board. HHSC licenses it as a 160-bed nursing facility, and its directory entry reports 60 Alzheimer's beds, one of the few dementia-specific resources in the county.
CMS rates the home 2 of 5 overall, with 4 stars for staffing and 4 for quality measures, in data as of October 1, 2026. Admission requires veteran eligibility and a medical need for nursing home care. Ask the admissions office about the wait list early.
VA care at home
Veterans enrolled in VA health care may qualify for home and community care paid by the VA: homemaker and home health aide services, adult day health care, respite and, in some cases, community nursing home care. Eligibility depends on clinical need and service connection.
The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System serves the Valley through the McAllen VA Clinic at 901 East Hackberry Avenue and the Harlingen VA Health Care Center. Ask the primary care team for a social work referral; social workers open the door to these programs.
Documents to gather
A pension claim moves faster with the right papers: the veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), a marriage certificate for a surviving spouse, recent bank and income statements, and receipts or contracts for care costs. A physician's statement describing the need for help with daily activities supports the Aid and Attendance part of the claim.
Bring copies, not originals, to the service officer. Keep a list of every document sent and the date.
Veterans and Medicaid together
VA benefits and Texas Medicaid can work together. A veteran in a Medicaid-certified nursing home may receive a reduced VA pension, and a veteran at home may use both VA home care and STAR+PLUS attendant hours. The rules on how one affects the other are detailed, so ask the VA social worker and the Area Agency on Aging's benefits counselor before applying for either.
Getting help with the claim
The Texas Veterans Commission has veterans service officers who help with VA claims at no cost, and many county veterans service offices do the same. Ask for an accredited representative, and keep a copy of everything you submit.
Putting it together
Many Valley veterans combine benefits: a VA pension with Aid and Attendance to help pay for attendants or adult day care, VA home care for some hours, family for the rest, and the State Veterans Home when nursing care becomes necessary.
A surviving spouse should not assume the pension ended with the veteran. Survivors' pension with Aid and Attendance has its own rates and can help pay for care.
Frequently asked questions
How much is VA Aid and Attendance for a single veteran?
The maximum annual pension rate with Aid and Attendance is $29,093 (about $2,424 a month) from December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026.
Is there a veterans nursing home in McAllen?
Yes. The Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home is licensed for 160 beds, including 60 Alzheimer's beds.
Where do McAllen veterans get VA health care?
At the McAllen VA Clinic, 901 East Hackberry Avenue, part of the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System.
Can a surviving spouse get Aid and Attendance?
Yes. A surviving spouse of a wartime veteran who meets the income, net worth and care-need rules can receive the survivors pension with Aid and Attendance, which has its own rate table.
