How do I arrange for my elder father to go into assisted living only on social security?

There are assisted living places that take Medicare, you just have to ask. Find one, check it out, take him there for lunch some day, and just do it.

Do you mean how do you arrange it financially? He will probably need to apply for Medicaid, but I believe that only covers skilled nursing care homes, not assisted living. Does he have assets? (Insurance policies, real estate, stocks, etc.) Does he have health issues? Does he have a case worker?

Or did you mean how do you convince him to make this move?

The costs in an assisted living facility usually depend on the type of services your Dad will be utilizing there. If is for health reasons, Medicare may cover qualified health care costs while your father is at the facility, but does not generally cover the "cost" of the facility. In some states, Medicaid my pay for some of the costs if your father is Medicaid eligible.

An excellent resource for your reader would be www.medicare.com/assisted-living and an alternative to the assisted living may be for him to stay at home. The great resource for this would be https://www.agingcare.com/Home-Care

If your Dad is a Veteran, he may be eligible for the Aid-and-Assistance Program sponsored by the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Those hoping to qualify can seek out free help through a regional, state or county-level Veterans office or go to www.va.gov. Then click on locations and then click on State Veteran Affairs offices or Regional Benefit offices. You can also email the Department of Veterans Affairs at www.iris.va.gov or call them at 1-877-294-6380.

How do I sign over mom's social security to an assisted living facility or does the facility do the paperwork? What is the process?

What is the process for a facility to receive mom's social security check, her only source of income, after she is admitted? Must I take her to Social Security of does the facility to the paperwork?

Are you mom's representative payee for SS ? If you are, you can simply white them a check each moth from mom's checking account, assuming you have signing privileges. Or, the facility can become mom's representative payee. The facility business office should be able to walk you through the steps. I've heard it said (here) that it is far better for family to continue to control funds, because in the case where you want to change facilities, it is of course easier to change where the monies are being paid.

I think we posted at the same time.

Betty if dads check will cover the cost of the AL, then what Babalou suggested is best. But if his check finds him short to pay that is a whole other issue.

So try to find out costs.

If he is short to pay AL, your options are in my experience:
- you or other family pay in the difference & pay this $ directly to AL ( not putting it in dads acct). If you go this route please please do not overextend yourself financially.
- dad gets a medicaid waiver to pay for AL. Waivers can be sticky as not all states do them; not all AL take them; and dad will have to qualify & apply for Medicaid. What waivers are is a diversion of federal $ that a state is given for skilled nursing care payment in a facility (a NH) that the Tate can choose to divert to pay for community based programs (like PACE, AL, in home services).