What do you do when mother has outlived all her assets even the home she had to leave behind? She can't afford good AL?

Hi Essie, you can either hire an in-home caregiver to help with her care (she will have to use her income/ savings to pay for this), or find a nursing home where she can use her assets to pay privately for a a period of time and then have to go onto medicaid. You can also use a Miller Trust as some other people have mentioned. You should also speak to an elder care attorney/ financial adviser as they can go into this for you as well as put some money aside for funeral expenses which will not count towards her medicaid income limit.

She doesn't have to go into a state/county facility. Does she have enough saved up for at least a few months of private pay? If so, find a good NH (and make sure they have Medicaid beds) and get her in. Once her money is running out then apply for Medicaid. The facility cannot kick her out.

Having too high of an income to qualify for medicaid isn't a problem if you live in a state that recognizes a Miller Trust. If so she can set up one of those to get under the income limit.

The bigger problem is her health. Medicaid only pays if there is a medical need. Being old is not a medical need.

Has she considered options outside the US. Many places are much cheaper. Even just south of the border in Mexico, a NH that would run $100,000 in the US is about $20,000. You can get back to a US hospital if needed faster than many people that live in the rural US can get to a hospital.

That is if she needs a NH. If she doesn't, there are places all over the world that Americans retire to where you can live quite comfortably for $20,000 or less a year. Even in Japan, a senior can live by themself and pay for all their needs for about $8,000 a year.

Thats very difficult. Could locations out of your area be a possibility. I hope you find something