What will happen to my mom when she goes to the nursing home?

Your mom will need to pay out of her own pocket until her money is nearly gone. If someone is living in the house (say, your dad), then if/when she goes on Medicaid because her money is gone, they will probably place a lien on the house, so that when the person living in the house (spouse) sells, Medicaid would take the money owed out of the sale. This could be different in your area and under different circumstances, so you should check with your local Medicaid services. However, generally, they consider the house an asset, but they won't displace a spouse who needs to live there by making them sell. If there is a lot of money involved, you should probably see an elder law attorney to see how it will work.
Take care,
Carol

Hi karen67,

There are two articles written by AgingCare.com Editor’s that were already posted in our community. We thought this might answer your caregiving question.

Who Pays for Mom's House After She's Moved to a Nursing Home?https://www.agingcare.com/articles/Who-pays-for-Mom-s-house-after-she-s-moved-to-a-nursing-home-136009.htm

And

Senior Housing: The Emotional Side of Moving Your Elderly Parent
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/Moving-Elderly-Parents-from-Home-to-Senior-Housing-136651.htm

We hope this helps. Please let us know if you need anything else and we look forward to seeing more questions and discussions from you.

Thank you,
Karie H.
The AgingCare.com Team