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My husband is 91 with ALZ. He went from moving slowly with a cane on Thursday to only having the strength to move his arms and head on Saturday. The VA said I needed to call 911 and have him taken to the E.R. He was admitted Saturday evening. He has fluid on his left lung and a UTI. The antibiotics should start working soon, but he is still not even able to sit up without help. I cannot pull at or lift him, so he cannot come home until he can walk a short distance. Is it suggested that I push for a rehabilitation center or for him to stay in the hospital for rehab?

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LTACH
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Send him to rehab. And while there have him evaluated for LTC. If its felt he needs 24/7 care then you tell them that there is no way you can care for him. They cannot release him if he is not going to a safe place. You will then become the Community Spouse. You should be allowed enough money to live on. My always example is a friends parents. The each had SS and at least one pension and 60k in the bank. The 60k was split between the wife and DH who needed LTC. Not sure how the SS was split but Mrs R always seemed like she was OK. She remained in the house and got a car.

You may want to consult with a lawyer well versed in Medicaid.
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If he was admitted to the Hospital Saturday night, then he should be eligible for rehab, paid for in full by Medicare IF he makes progress, for 20 days. If you have a supplementary, again IF he is making progress, they will pay some or all of the difference between what Medicare will pay and the full cost (about $160/day) from days 21 to 100. Again, this is IF he is making progress.

You are an elderly person and cannot, CANNOT be his only care provider going forward if he continues to be too weak to transfer himself.

While your husband is in rehab (I trust that he's not going to argue about that; if he needs rehab, he should go) spend some time talking with the social worker at the facility, exploring assisted living places and contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find out what is available and if you qualify for any assistance.

This can be a confusing system and is highly state dependent. Come back here and we'll try to help you sort all this out.

((((((hugs))))))))
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Rehab is a good idea. Keep in mind through that he may not regain his strength and you may need to think about other options for care.

While he is in rehab take some time for yourself.
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