FOR THOSE WHO SERVED: The Veterans Independence Program

VIP is run by Veterans Affairs Canada. The idea behind it is simple: help veterans stay in their own homes and communities for as long as it makes sense to. It does that by giving you tax-free money each year to put toward services that make daily life easier.

One thing to know right away: VIP doesn’t replace other help you might already get from your province or your city. It works on top of that, to fill in the gaps. So if you’ve been holding off because you thought applying might cost you another benefit, you don’t need to worry about that.

It’s not about doing everything for you. It’s about taking enough off your plate that home still works.

People are often surprised by how much it covers. Depending on your situation and your health, the money can go toward things like:

- Housekeeping, cleaning, laundry, cooking, and errands
- Yard work, like snow removal and mowing the lawn
- Personal care, help with bathing, dressing, and your daily routine
- Getting meals, like a meal delivery service
- Professional health help, including nursing
- Health appointments and rides to get to them
- Rides to social and community activities
- Home changes, and long-term care if it’s needed later

For most families, housekeeping and yard work are where they start. Those are by far the most-used parts of the program. But the personal care and nursing side is where VIP can really make a difference once someone needs more hands-on help.

It comes down to two things: your service history and whether you actually need the help. In plain terms, you should apply if you need home care and one of these is true for you:

You might qualify if you:
- Have qualified for a disability benefit, or
- Have qualified for the War Veterans Allowance, or
- Get Prisoner of War Compensation, or
- Qualify for a Contract Bed (also called a Priority Access Bed) in long-term care but can’t get one.

Survivors and primary caregivers can sometimes qualify too. So if a veteran passes away, the help doesn’t always end for the family.

Not sure if you fit? That’s normal, and it’s not a reason to skip applying. Just ask. Veterans Affairs Canada has people whose whole job is to help you figure this out.

The paperwork looks like a lot, but it’s easier when you take it one step at a time.

1. Apply online or by mail
The quickest way is the step-by-step form in a My VAC Account. Rather use paper? You can download the form and mail it in, or drop it off at any Service Canada office, where staff can check it over and send it on for you.

2. Add extra forms if they apply to you
If you’re applying because of a service-related mental health condition, your doctor or provider fills out a short questionnaire along with the form. If you’re approved that way, VIP starts with a 12-month arrangement.

You’ll hear the term “benefit year,” and it can sound like the help stops after twelve months. It doesn’t. VIP is set up one year at a time, but it keeps going as long as you need it. The yearly check-in is just how VAC makes sure your support still matches what’s going on in your life.

Here’s a detail that puts you in the driver’s seat. With VIP, you can use the provider of your choice. For some health services the provider has to be licensed in your province, but who actually comes into your home is up to you.

That matters more than it sounds. There’s a big difference between a stranger who’s different every week and someone who knows how you take your tea, remembers your stories, and treats your home with respect. One you put up with. The other you’re actually glad to see.

The short version: VIP gives you the money and the rules. You decide who walks through your door.

Using your VIP funding with people you trust

Corelia Health provides in-home care for seniors across Ontario and Alberta. A lot of what VIP pays for is exactly what Corelia does every day. So if you’re a veteran with VIP, or you’re helping one sort it out, Corelia can be the provider you choose to put that funding to use.

Here’s how the two line up:
- Housekeeping, laundry, and cooking, the most-used part of VIP, are part of Corelia’s personal care and day-to-day help.
- Personal care, help with bathing, dressing, getting around, and your routine, is the heart of what their caregivers do.
- Nursing and professional health help matches Corelia’s Skilled Nursing Care at Home for medical needs and wound care.
- Meals and company fit with their Companion Care, sharing a meal, a chat, and a friendly check-in so no one feels alone.
- Help around the clock, for when a veteran shouldn’t be left alone, is covered by 24/7 Senior Home Care.

A few things families like to hear: the caregivers are licensed, insured, and background-checked, care can usually start within 24 to 48 hours of a free assessment, and there are no long-term contracts, so the help can go up or down as your needs change.

One honest note: Corelia isn’t Veterans Affairs Canada, and using them doesn’t replace applying. The order is simple, sort out your VIP eligibility and funding with VAC first, then choose Corelia as the provider who actually does the care. Their team is happy to talk through how it all fits with your benefits.

VIP exists for one good reason: so the people who served can keep living in their own homes, around the life they know, for as long as possible. The money is there. You get to pick who helps. And the kind of support that makes a regular day feel doable again is closer than most families think.

If a bit of help at home would take a weight off you or someone you love, the first step is small. Just ask the question and start the conversation.

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### Honour their service with care that feels like home
Wondering how Corelia Health can help a veteran using VIP funding? Book a free, no-pressure assessment. A care coordinator will listen, answer your questions, and suggest a plan that fits. No contracts.