71.15—Definitions.
For the purposes of this part:
Eligible veteran means a veteran, or a servicemember, who is found eligible for a Family Caregiver under § 71.20.
Family Caregiver means both a Primary and Secondary Family Caregiver.
General Caregiver means an individual who meets the requirements of § 71.30.
Inability to perform an activity of daily living (ADL) means any one of the following:
(4)
Frequent need of adjustment of any special prosthetic or orthopedic appliance that, by reason of the particular disability, cannot be done without assistance (this does not include the adjustment of appliances that nondisabled persons would be unable to adjust without aid, such as supports, belts, lacing at the back, etc.);
(6)
Inability to feed oneself due to loss of coordination of upper extremities, extreme weakness, inability to swallow, or the need for a non-oral means of nutrition; or
In the best interest means, for the purpose of determining whether it is in the best interest of the eligible veteran to participate in the Family Caregiver program under 38 U.S.C. 1720G(a), a clinical determination that participation in such program is likely to be beneficial to the eligible veteran. Such determination will include consideration, by a clinician, of whether participation in the program significantly enhances the eligible veteran's ability to live safely in a home setting, supports the eligible veteran's potential progress in rehabilitation, if such potential exists, and creates an environment that supports the health and well-being of the eligible veteran.
Need for supervision or protection based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury means requiring supervision or assistance for any of the following reasons:
(3)
Safety risks (wandering outside the home, danger of falling, using electrical appliances, etc.);
Personal care services means care or assistance of another person necessary in order to support the eligible veteran's health and well-being, and perform personal functions required in everyday living ensuring the eligible veteran remains safe from hazards or dangers incident to his or her daily environment.
Primary care team means a group of medical professionals who care for a patient and who are selected based on the clinical needs of the patient. The team must include a primary care provider who coordinates the care, and may include clinical specialists (e.g., a neurologist, psychiatrist, etc.), resident physicians, nurses, physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners, occupational or rehabilitation therapists, social workers, etc., as indicated by the needs of the particular veteran.
Primary Family Caregiver means an individual who meets the requirements of § 71.25.
Secondary Family Caregiver means an individual who meets the requirements of § 71.25.
Serious injury means any injury, including traumatic brain injury, psychological trauma, or other mental disorder, incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service on or after September 11, 2001, that renders the veteran or servicemember in need of personal care services.
Undergoing medical discharge means that the servicemember has been found unfit for duty due to a medical condition by their Service's Physical Evaluation Board, and a date of medical discharge has been issued.
VA refers to the Department of Veterans Affairs.