How do I get Mom in a nursing home and pay for it until the house is sold?

While your mom is there under Medicare apply for Medicaid immediately. If Medicaid is pending your mom should be able to continue to stay there but talk to the social worker at the NH to be sure. I only know why my own situation was like and my dad was able to stay pending his Medicaid approval. But we had to turn over my dad's entire income to the NH every month.

If the doctor agrees, she can go into rehab for up to 21 days at Medicare's expense. This might give you time to sell the home. There is also the option of taking a loan out on the home. You will, of course, need POA to be able to do that.

The doctor who determined that she should be in a facility of some level of care will write a script detailing her diagnoses so that Medicare can will pay but there are larger questions here...

I AM assuming that it's a doctor who feels your mother needs facility care, not you; is this correct? If not, on what basis have you made this decision? Does the doctor feel she needs rehab, skilled nursing care, assisted living, or to be in a dementia unit?

Does she have Medicare? Medicaid? You mention selling the home so I'm assuming that you're thinking of applying for Medicaid, or have you already applied for it?

It would help if you could provide more information about the situation, including the diagnoses made by physicians of your mother's health.