We are trying to find cheaper assisted living for husband's sister. She is 58 years old, has some extreme medical problems, mostly back pain. She had to take a medical retirement at a very early age because of she broke her back in a car accident. We are at our wit's end financially, and just can't afford to keep dishing out money for this and that. We need to find a place where she can live who will feed her, take over her finances, and help her with pain medications. Is there suh a place?
My mother gets three retirement checks and her social security check every month. She also has to spend $500.00 a month for medical prescriptions that are necessary to save her life; how will she be able to afford assisted living if it costs $647.00 a month?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive on AgingCare.com. I am including links to three articles: www.AgingCare.Com/120513 www.AgingCare.com/135476 www.AgingCare.com/133268 I hope that you find them helpful. Thank you for being a caregiver.
Laud - for AL you first need to find out IF your state medicaid even does AL waivers. Most states do not. It may be easier to get cousin qualified both financially & medically into a NH and onto Medicaid to pay for it. More & more states that even do AL waivers are going to larger on-site programs like PACE rather than pay for an individual's AL waiver. At 90 cousins needs are only going to increase so eventually a Nh will be needed is the likely reality. Do you have DPOA for her? If not you need to get this set up ASAP.
Dem - dad applies for Medicaid. $ 2,600 a mo with a community spouse (your mom), dad is going to qualify. It sounds like they still have a bit of $ and really they need to ASAP see an elder law attorney to come up with options as to how to maximize the funds for moms living expenses as she is the community spouse.
Only dad needs to become impoverished for Medicaid. Not mom & dad!! Medicaid for couples is a really different animal and calls out for someone to work with your parents in all this. Your folks can't as mom is all focused on dads needs and likely overwhelmed. most of what you read & what advice you get on Medicaid is geared for widow /widowers situations which although heavy on documentation is pretty straightforward in that they have to be impoverished. your mom as a CS needs to keep the maximum in assets (114k for most states) and needs to get the maximum in CSRA /MMNA. These are resource allowances deducted from dads required copay to the NH. CSRA / MMNA is kinda like alimony for the CS. Some states have CSRA high too - like TX it's over $ 2,500 a mo the CS could retain. For couples theres other issues too - like most married couples have each other as the beneficiary of their life insurance policy....bad idea cause if mom dies, the insurance $ causes dad to become ineligible for Medicaid. It's items like this that good legal will just know to do. If there's some $ sifting to be done, legal will know a good financial advisor to get things done for the CS that are Medicaid compliant. Personally for couples situations, I'd go with a NAELA attorney in your state. Good luck & get on this soon as you don't want your folks to spend down anymore than needed.
There is very little in the way of Federal support. Your parent would have to qualify for Medicaid assistance and I believe that is only for nursing homes. However, your state may have some special programs for housing. Most have gov. subsidized apartment complexes for seniors. Check your state's office on aging (or it may be called something else.) good luck Lilli
I hesitate to inquire about assisted living questions, as they hound you via phone & ask for info that, who knows who they share it with,,,,,sometimes its not wise to give your personal stuff out there to wolves,,,,it stopped me cold,
Who I need to call to try to get my older cousin (90 yrs) some help in placing her in an assisted living and get her some help financially to aid pay for her assisted living?
My father is 73 and has dementia live with my mother they have a nurse comes over 4 times a week for 4 hrs [$$$$] look into a nursing home but there any where from $4000 to $8000 a month how does one afford that on a $2600.00 a month income and some money saved they would go through that less than a year any help would be great because sooner than later we will have to put my dad in some kind of nursing home
I am including links to three articles:
www.AgingCare.Com/120513
www.AgingCare.com/135476
www.AgingCare.com/133268
I hope that you find them helpful.
Thank you for being a caregiver.
Dani
AgingCare.com Editor
Dem - dad applies for Medicaid. $ 2,600 a mo with a community spouse (your mom), dad is going to qualify. It sounds like they still have a bit of $ and really they need to ASAP see an elder law attorney to come up with options as to how to maximize the funds for moms living expenses as she is the community spouse.
Only dad needs to become impoverished for Medicaid. Not mom & dad!! Medicaid for couples is a really different animal and calls out for someone to work with your parents in all this. Your folks can't as mom is all focused on dads needs and likely overwhelmed. most of what you read & what advice you get on Medicaid is geared for widow /widowers situations which although heavy on documentation is pretty straightforward in that they have to be impoverished. your mom as a CS needs to keep the maximum in assets (114k for most states) and needs to get the maximum in CSRA /MMNA. These are resource allowances deducted from dads required copay to the NH. CSRA / MMNA is kinda like alimony for the CS. Some states have CSRA high too - like TX it's over $ 2,500 a mo the CS could retain.
For couples theres other issues too - like most married couples have each other as the beneficiary of their life insurance policy....bad idea cause if mom dies, the insurance $ causes dad to become ineligible for Medicaid. It's items like this that good legal will just know to do. If there's some $ sifting to be done, legal will know a good financial advisor to get things done for the CS that are Medicaid compliant. Personally for couples situations, I'd go with a NAELA attorney in your state. Good luck & get on this soon as you don't want your folks to spend down anymore than needed.
However, your state may have some special programs for housing. Most have gov. subsidized apartment complexes for seniors. Check your state's office on aging (or it may be called something else.)
good luck
Lilli