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My mother has never worked in her life, how do I get her the help she needs? She is a safety risk she forgets to turn off the stove, has fallen out of her bed twice already, leaves the water running, among other things.I live close by like 15 minutes away by car. I currently pay her rent, utilities are included in the rent. I cover all of her expenses which I do not mind, but looking at AL prices I cannot swing that. Her status in the country is difficult. She is not a citizen. I am afraid to go to a lawyer or try and apply for help in fears it will cause her issues. I was born and raised here in the states. I have reached out to care advisors but have told me private pay is my only option. I cannot afford that, I have spoken with the social worker at the hospital, but they have told me her inability to pay and lack of insurance will make placement impossible.

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Is or was your mother married? Can she claim benefits from your father's social security record? These are called "spousal benefits" and do not effect the benefit that he receives.
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They were married but divorced soon after, and was told by SSA that she did not meet the requirements to claim survivor benefits.
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JoAnn29 Feb 2022
She has to be married for ten years to get SS from an ex husband.
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"If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible for Medicaid, depending on the rules in your state. But you have to meet certain requirements before receiving any benefits. First, you must be a qualified immigrant. Second, you will have to wait five years before you can apply. Exceptions exist as well.

Eligibility requirements for Medicaid were established by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. It divided immigrants into two groups: qualified and non qualified. Generally, only qualified immigrants are eligible to receive Medicaid."

source: https://healthcareinsider.com/if-im-not-a-u-s-citizen-can-i-still-be-eligible-for-medicaid-90819

You don't say what your state of residence is or her age, as Medicaid is governed by each state so may have differing rules. I imagine states like CA, OR and WA may have more resources earmarked for people in your mom's situation. Does she speak enough English so that even if she did go into a facility she can be understood?

Talking to an immigration lawyer may help you find out if she can still apply for citizen status. Or you can just call and pose your question in the form of "hypotheticals". I'm pretty sure they won't report her.
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My mother does not speak any English, she currently resides in VA, and she is 68. I am in a bind cause the decline was extremely sudden, at first I thought it was a little forgetfulness. I have forgotten I left the a pot of water boiling for pasta when I got side tracked. After her fall is when I got worried, and saw that she could not live alone. I thought about hiring private aids, do not make enough to cover all her expenses which are not many and the price of aids. Well I could but I would have nothing for myself and I am not keen on having my mother move in with me if I can avoid it. My apartment is small, I did the whole sleeping in one room together as a kid, trying not to relive that.

Thanks for the info.
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What is her immigration status? Is she here illegally?

I think an immigration lawyer is your first best step.
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She is an unauthorized immigrant, yes. I will do that, this is an overly stressful situation.
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This is what being in a country illegally looks like.

She hasn't contributed to the system and isn't entitled to any benefits from said system.

Since she has obviously been here decades and decided not to even learn the language or take advantage of the Bush amnesty, what needs to happen for her to get care in her country?
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I would do as others have suggested and see an immigration attorney. If there are any answers he or she will have them.
Is there still family in your Mom's home country? We often see elders return to the care of children still in the home country in order to have the help they need in aged circumstances.
I am afraid were we in other countries without a status we would likely be in the same situation.
I hope you will update us on any help you find, as that information may help others on Forum. Your Mom is going to need access to medical care. In emergency situations, and given she has no resources to pay, she would be treated in ER. They are not allowed to check immigration/citizenship status. Were she in the hospital you would access Social Services at that time to see what care is available to her once Emergency needs are over. Bills from ER wouldn't be collectible if she has no money; this is why our hospitals, ERs and medical systems are currently such a problem and in such deep do-do. Or one of the reasons.
Best of luck in finding the best care you can for Mom in these circumstances.
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You might also want to reach out to others of her nationality in your area to see if they can offer any insights, or perhaps even provide some emotional support for you as you search for care for your mother.

I also agree with the suggestion to contact an immigration attorney.  Check your state bar's online site or your local county bar association to find immigration attorneys in your area, but be sure to visit their web site and do background research before contacting any.  You want to make sure the individual has experience in the area you need.   Some focus more on establishing citizenship than providing insights into medical support.

You might also consider contacting the consulate for her country of birth to determine if there could be any other sources for help.

Is there any particular reason why she didn't become a citizen?
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All fair points, unfortunately I do not have the means to contact my extended family, never had a relationship with them. I will do what I can to get the help see needs wherever it may before her forgetfulness find herself or another person injured. I cannot say why she made the choice to never go down the route to become a citizen, maybe she was threaten by it. I also confess it was also something I did not consider either, I never gave it much thought. Thank you for the information and advice I will contact the proper channels.
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If her home country is Mexico, then she as a citizen has health benefits there, and it will be cheaper to secure aides and private-pay ALs. In fact, many US citizens choose to retire there to take advantage of the cost savings.
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Your Mom does not have a Green Card? How did she support herself all these years? Did she work under the table so no SS credits. And sad she was not married long enough to her ex. I did reply to you that she would have needed to have been married 10 years to collect off of an ex.

If she had a Green Card she could receive Medicaid. My MIL was in this country for almost 70 yrs and never chose to become a citizen. She received SS and Medicare from her husbands work credit.

I am so sorry you are dealing with this.
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