How can we find out if my mother (in a NH with dementia) has any life/whole etc insurance?

You wait for an annual letter stating the value or ab bill for payment. They do show up around tax season

I assume you are talking about Long-term care insurance. As said, her bank acct should show payments made.

If you are talking Life insurance policies it depends on what type. If there is a cash in option, I doubt if it would be enough to care for Mom. No cash in value, then you need to wait until her passing and the beneficiary gets the proceeds.

If you apply for Medicaid, you just say "not to my knowledge".

There is a search engine online for the major old time insurance companies. Google “missing life insurance policies”.

Unclaimed Funds.org is also a good source.

Give them a try.

Unfortunately many elders were/are of the opinion that a safety deposit box is the safe place for all policies. And when they pass the deposit box is not always found. So do check your Mom's bank to ask if she holds a box. There may be important papers there.

If she was real, real Lutheran & active in her church like in the 1950’s- 1970s , and she’s very elderly, like in her 90’s, contact Thriven.

If you have access to her bank records, you could check for payments to such policies. Credit card statements might have such info as well.