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TonyRovere Asked March 2013

Does Medicaid have a program where my mother can have a live-in full-time aid stay with her 24/7, and Medicaid pays for everything?

Mom currently residents in a nursing home. She told me (so I am taking this with a grain of salt) that such a program exists where the aid with live with her 24/7, and Medicaid pays for the rent, food, the live-in aid, medications, transportation, everything.

If so, what is the name of the program? Has anyone used it? How would the level of care compare with the level of care in a nursing home?

igloo572 Mar 2013
T, 24/7 care needed = skilled nursing facility.

Isn't your situation that mom is still relatively young (70's) & in a NH for a few months? I'd be on the lookout for her working / looking/ wanting to leave the NH and move back to her home. Doing what she can to have her need for skilled nursing reviewed so she can get out too. Her imagination is working overtime on that there is a program that does everything for her and the state pays and she is back at home or in her own apartment.

You know they can be sly old foxes. Even if it is to their total detriment. My MIL was that type. Had been in a NH in LA (hated it and was always calling Realtors to show her stuff) and then in TX after Hurricane Katrina. She on her own went and applied to have the state re-evaluated her need for NH and got released from a top-level NH (that she never would have gotten into if not for the post Katrina generousity and kum-ba-ya). Got released into a community based program with a market rate apt for free (more Katrina stuff) - total clusterF as she couldn't function on her own (building booted her out as she would not / could not lock the doors both to the entry and her apt); then into a HUD seniors apartment - again bad idea. All the while she is calling around to find other apartments. Asking old friends to find her a place in areas she had lived in the past. Refusing to accept her reality

Your mom may be working her way to have herself discharged from the NH.

TonyRovere Mar 2013
JeanneGibbs,

As I said, that's why I was talking it with a grain of salt...but what you have done is point me in the right direction when it comes to doing the research. Thanks.

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jeannegibbs Mar 2013
I shouldn't say it doesn't cover food -- I believe it may cover Meals on Wheels, but not grocery shopping.

jeannegibbs Mar 2013
Medicaid does have a program to keep recipients in their homes. I think the program name varies from state to state. Here it is called Elderly Waiver. It does not cover rent or food. It will cover some in-home care, based on an evaluation of need. For example my husband qualified for 32 hours of personal care assistance per week, plus 3 hours of homemaking. It does not cover 24/7 aides, because at that level nursing homes are generally more cost effective.

It covers such things as adult day health programs (day care) and dental care and incontinence supplies and even some safety modifications, such as an entrance ramp and grab bars.

It is a very worthwhile program, but it does not cover all your mother has heard it does.

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