Is Dementia a VA Disability?

Dementia is one of the most common and devastating diseases that can affect a person’s memory. Compared to the general population, veterans are more at risk of developing dementia. This is due in part to their increased chances of having related conditions, such as vascular disease, PTSD, and TBI. 

The VA recognizes dementia can be service connected and offers disability benefits for the condition, with ratings depending on the severity of the veteran’s symptoms. 

In this article, we will explain VA benefits for dementia patients, how the VA rates the condition for disability benefits, and whether Agent Orange and dementia are connected.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a life-altering disease involving memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but other types include vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. 

Symptoms of dementia affect everyday life, making it increasingly difficult to handle normal tasks like driving, running a household, or keeping track of dates and finances. 

Memory loss on its own does not mean you have dementia, but it could be an early sign that you may develop dementia in the future. 

Other signs and symptoms of dementia can include agitation, decreased coordination, inappropriate behavior, and changes in personality, among many others.

Is dementia a VA disability?

If your dementia is connected to your military service, you may be eligible for VA benefits for the condition. 

The VA rates all forms of dementia under the same rating criteria as mental health conditions,  using the General Formula for Mental Disorders.

Dementia is rated 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%, depending on your level of impairment. 

Description	Rating	Monthly payment (Veteran only)
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.	100%	$3,938.58
Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.	70%	$1,808.45
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.	50%	$1,132.90
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).	30%	$552.47
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.	10%	$180.42
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.	0%	None

Applying for VA benefits for dementia patients

To apply for VA disability benefits for dementia, you need to file a claim through the VA. 

When a veteran applies for VA disability benefits, they will most likely be asked to undergo a medical exam called a C&P exam. Depending on the severity of the veteran’s dementia, a loved one or guardian may need to help ensure the veteran attends and is able to communicate their symptoms adequately.

After the VA reviews your claim, you will receive a decision, and a rating if you are granted disability benefits. 

Veterans with dementia and their families who are seeking other VA benefits for dementia patients may be looking to apply for home-based care, adult day care, caregiver support, or other VA services. You can learn more about these resources on the VA’s website.

---

Dementia and related conditions in veterans

Research shows PTSD, TBI, and depression, along with vascular issues and obesity-related diseases, are common risk factors for developing dementia.

Additionally, combat, toxic exposure, and Gulf War Illness are recognized as risk factors.

As a result of military service, researchers suggest the veteran population is two to five times more likely than nonveterans to suffer from PTSD, TBI, or depression, putting them at a higher risk of developing dementia and losing their ability to work.

Veterans with a service-connected condition that causes them to develop dementia could be owed additional VA disability compensation for dementia on a secondary basis. We explain more in detail below.

Traumatic brain injury and dementia

TBIs can cause significant changes to the brain, negatively affecting a veteran’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Veterans with service-connected TBI who later develop dementia could receive VA disability benefits for their condition. 

Dementia is presumptively connected to TBI because head injuries have been associated with an increased risk of dementia. Due to the nature of combat, research shows veterans are at a higher risk of TBI compared to civilians. 

Other studies have found that older adults with moderate TBI had a 2.3 times greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to older adults with no TBI history.

PTSD and dementia

Civilians and veterans may develop PTSD after experiencing a traumatic or life-threatening event. The veteran population is even more likely to have PTSD that can interrupt daily life and affect ability to work.

[Text on this image reads: Veterans Crisis Line. Dial 988, then Press 1.]

Studies show that veterans with PTSD are more than twice as likely to develop dementia compared with those without PTSD. Seeking treatment for your PTSD may help decrease your risk of developing dementia later in life. 

Agent Orange and dementia

Exposure to Agent Orange has been identified as a risk factor for developing dementia.

If you were exposed to Agent Orange, an herbicide containing dioxin used during the Vietnam War, studies suggest you may be nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to veterans not exposed to the chemical. 

While dementia is not currently considered presumptive conditions of Agent Orange exposure by the VA, you may still be able to build a case showing the connection between the two. You or a loved one can discuss whether there’s a medical link, or nexus, between your exposure and your dementia with a doctor.

TDIU and dementia

Total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted to veterans that are unable to work or earn an income as a result of their service-connected health conditions.

The memory loss, disorientation, and decreased coordination in veterans with dementia could make keeping a job difficult, especially as the condition worsens. 

Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are compensated at the same level as those with a 100% disability rating, even though their combined rating is below 100%.

Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:

• At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
• Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more

How Woods & Woods can help

Our TDIU lawyers have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.

Frequently asked questions