How does Medicaid for one spouse in a nursing home affect a working spouses rights?

I have seen several friends whose lives have been impacted negatively.
1. An elderly friend, in a second marriage, was forced to sell everything that could have belonged to her husband (tools, small fishing skiff, guns) and give up the money. She also had to sell the house and give up half the profit. His kids to a previous marriage, who grew up in the house, hired a lawyer and demanded half of her half, so she had very little left to pay rent on a tiny apartment. In our state, which has a homestead rule on shared housing (each owns the whole house), should have protected her. But NO, it was considered only half hers.
2. Similar situation for a younger, working wife, when her hubby went into LTC, and every penny she earned at her job was considered "his" for the $2000 max in the bank, so she had to quit her job and report every dime she earned. I believe, because they bought the house together, that she was allowed to stay in it.
I'm concerned about this, as I own an in-home business with operating $$ in the bank. SSI is not enough to live on and pay costs of the house (my SSI is only $650). So far my husband is not needing Medicaid to go into a care facility, but that time may come sooner rather than later and I want to be prepared.