Aid & Attendance application - non service connected

For a non-service-connected Aid & Attendance (A&A) pension claim, you must substantiate the veteran’s need for the “regular aid and attendance of another person” as defined in **38 CFR 3.352(a)**, which requires evidence of an inability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), blindness, or being bedridden. Beyond the required VA Form 21-2680, you should upload a detailed, signed statement from the long-term care facility outlining the specific ADLs he requires help with (e.g., bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting) and the frequency of care, as this directly addresses the regulatory criteria. Include all relevant medical records and nursing notes that document his cognitive or physical limitations, as these support a rating under **38 CFR 4.130** (Diagnostic Code 9300 for dementia, if applicable) for evaluating the need for aid and attendance. While not legally required, a private physician’s report corroborating the need for A&A can be persuasive, as established in *DeLuca v. Brown*, which held that VA must consider all evidence of functional impairment. Your actionable next steps are: 1) Obtain and upload a comprehensive “attendant care report” from the facility, 2) Include any physician statements specifically linking his medical conditions to the need for aid, and 3) Clearly annotate all documents with his personal information and file them with his VA Form 21-527EZ (Application for Pension) to the correct Pension Management Center. **Disclaimer: This is educational information for claims preparation and is not legal, medical, or official VA advice; for definitive guidance, consult an accredited VA attorney or claims agent.**