Struggling to continue paying for caregiving. How do I maneuver through the myriad of websites, applications and financial aid?

You might consult with an Aging Life Specialist. We hired one with 30 years experience as a Social Worker. She knew what was available to us in the area and was a very big help.

If hiring someone is outside of your budget (it was about $125 an hour for her help) the county often has Social Workers who will evaluate your situation and offer guidance. There was a very long wait for help in the county in which our person lived, though.

We found the names of aging life specialists in our area on aginglifecare.org

Don't do that!! Don't give up the security of your future to pay for mom's care when Uncle Sam will pick up the tab. Have you not applied for Medicaid for your mom? For the amount you have already spent, you could have placed her in an ALF or MC facility. Apply for Medicaid for her.

I went to an Elder Care Attorney and had a 1 hour consultation that was worth every cent of the $250 fee. I did the paper work and eventually got my wife into the Medicade program with 12 hours of in home care spread over 3 days of my choosing. i use my caregivers to prepare and serve dinner, change my wife's incontinence diapers, some minor cleaning, sponge bathing, etc.. If you are up tight as a Caregiver, see your doctor. He can help.

Contact a well regarded lawyer who specializes in Elder Care, it's worth the consultation fee.

My mom was able to age in place in Ohio with a combination of Medicaid caregivers and private pay caregivers. However, she had a very small SS pension check. It took a lot of pursuing by my sister to get all the criteria met for mom, but it was worth it. Start with your local Council on Aging agency. They have a wealth of knowledge and can help you determine your options based on your state.

When you have reached your limit on donating to her care, you have reached your limit. If she is living in the house with a brother and requiring 12 hr a day care, it is obviously over and above what your brother can do as well. It may be time to place her in a facility so she can get round the clock care.

Talk with brother and mom's doctor about Plan B. I doubt you are going to find and financial programs to do more to keep her in the house w/brother. Applying for Medicaid to help to pay for her NH bed is probably the next step. However, you need medical necessity documentation from her doctor to do that.

Usually, long term care insurance will pay for home health care aides - and it is expensive. Health insurance will not pay for long term care home health assistance. Since your mother requires 12 hours of paid care every day and she is on SS, it appears time to place her in a memory care unit. Please research memory care units that will accept medicaid and medicare. If the paperwork seems too daunting to fill in for medicaid, consult with a lawyer who specializes in elder law. Their office can assist you or point you to someone that can.

Imho, your kind donation to her care must now end. It never was your financial responsibility.

Call your Office of Aging and ask if they can help. Its a matter of applying for Medicaid in home care or Medicaid LTC. Mom needs to meet their criteria. Differs from State to State. In my state, she is under the 2300 cap.

You should also have a Social Service Office where Medicaid caseworkers are. They may be able to help.

Other than Medicaid, not sure if you can get any other help concerning free care. O of A may have aides or know ofvother resources.

Your mother should be in a nursing facility paid my Medicaid unless you want to continue to pay in home care givers or want to pay for an assisted living facility for her. Those to my knowledge are the only options. You can apply her for long term Medicaid online usually. There should be a website that her State has online with the application. After you fill it out a caseworker will contact you. Maybe your State has Medicaid waivers for assisted living as well, or possibly in home assistance, but for me I only had a skilled nursing facility as an option. You will also need her physician to qualify her for long term care as well.