Veterans Affairs committee  I would say just one pit stop where you do everything, click all that you need there and answer all the questions. I would say consider a veteran and their family as an entity, and the veteran as a whole person, not just conditions. Just doing that, you eliminate a whackload of p

Veterans Affairs committee  That was me.

Veterans Affairs committee  My husband is six foot four and weighs 200 pounds. When his back gives way, he cannot shower himself. We had a 32-inch by 32-inch shower. We apply for VAC, do all the processes and the occupational therapist comes home and evaluates everything. We got a nice 40-inch by 40-inch wa

Veterans Affairs committee  We're constantly fighting it. The war in Afghanistan hasn't stopped in my husband's head. At night, when he has nightmares, I'm the one that's sitting in the tank next to him.

Veterans Affairs committee  The kids know that daddy went to war and they know that he ran after bad guys, because we're in a superhero world here. They have had to become accustomed to the fact that daddy cannot be scared, that they cannot jump on daddy and that they cannot scream when daddy is around. The

Veterans Affairs committee  I never referred any.... Yes, one, maybe once. It was a really long time ago, and it was somebody who was still serving. They were very scared to talk because the people within the CAF—like the bosses at higher ranks than they were—were actually trying to know what was being said

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes. We have to save ourselves before we save others, unfortunately. If people come to us, yes, we will try to guide them as much as we can, but as for OSISS, my experience was that with them. Maybe Jeanette and Paula want to add to it. I think Paula maybe had some info. It's n

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm the one who applies for my husband. If he's denied, that means I'm denied. It's as simple as that, because we're the ones who are doing all the paperwork. Whether I sign my name or his name at the bottom doesn't make any difference because the language is still going to be th

Veterans Affairs committee  The reality is that if I was not there, nothing would run properly, but he'd be able to put food in his mouth. Who gets the food? Who does the laundry? Who does all that? It's the caregivers. It's us, but that's considered instrumental activities of daily living versus activitie

Veterans Affairs committee  The caregiver recognition benefit was meant for that. Unfortunately, caregivers like me cannot access it.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's because my husband is able to feed himself, dress himself, bathe—the basic needs—but for everything else relies on us, and we're not recognized as caregivers for that.

Veterans Affairs committee  I've often said it's not the money. Sometimes it's a rent-a-husband kind of a service. If somebody could help me do the basic renovations in a house that need to be done, that would alleviate a lot of stress on me. My husband, with his mental health, cannot do that sometimes. He'

Veterans Affairs committee  When their father is not doing well, the kids are stressed out and we see the physical signs of it—tics, nervousness and repetitive questions. It is my role as a mother to calm them down, calm him down and calm everything down. Who calms me down? No one.

Veterans Affairs committee  On our end, my husband is still very militarized with the children. It's either black and white and with children you cannot do that. It has to be gray sometimes. That component has to be addressed in therapy, and it has to be addressed in couples therapy also because sometimes

Veterans Affairs committee  That's what it is. It becomes.... We have to work for a living. I don't have time to wait and call, and run after people and run after letters, and....