MOAA’s latest Capitol Hill testimony addressed how the VA must improve its efforts to provide for an aging veteran population – and for the family members who serve as their caregivers.

“VA has made progress in advancing caregiving services, but today’s demand outpaces availability,” Cmdr. René Campos, USN (Ret), MOAA’s senior director of Government Relations, told a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on March 13 in Washington, D.C. “And it’s still difficult for veterans and caregivers to access these services, including respite care.”

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This is an immediate concern for the department – while the overall veteran population is expected to drop by 8% from FY 2019 to FY 2035, the number of veterans age 85 and older will rise by 73% over that timeframe, Campos said in written testimony to the joint panel. With 80% of veterans expected to need long-term support services, she said, it’s critical the VA expand its capacity, staffing, and funding to match the need.