My aunt, who lives alone across the country from me and has no other involved family, had a fall at home in late February. After a hospital stay and 30 days in rehab, it looks like she'll be going to a LTC facility, a decision I have very mixed feelings about because it is driven less by her condition than by her lack of finances and options.
Be that as it may, I have questions: Will it be possible to move her from a Medicaid nursing home in her state to one in my state? I realize she'd have to reapply for Medicaid in my state and we'd have to find a Medicaid-pending bed -- but is there any other reason why such a move couldn't happen?
Also, how many personal items can a resident have in a nursing home (shared room, presumably)? My aunt is quite alert and aware, and will feel the loss of her home -- is it possible to bring artwork and ornaments? Favorite blankets? Anything else I should pack up for her? (I assume taking her home to pack is not a good idea.)
Thank you!
All her clothes need to be clearly labeled with her name. My MIL's clothes keep disappearing so "someone' will need to go to ckeck on her supply every month. There usually is a night stand, a built-in bureau and a closet, and a shared bathroom.
She can bring favorite blankets but stuff has a way of disappearing (often by other residents with cognitive issues) so I would not have her take anything of value, no jewelry for sure. No cash or ID items. You will need to work out a system to protect those things somehow. I keep my MIL's rings and IDs, checkbook, etc. at our house.
Every season we change the decorations in her room (which we keep at our house).
We didn't allow my MIL to go back home to pack but it may be different in your Aunt's case... my MIL's house was foreclosed and we had a huge garage sale to get rid of everything so it was pretty empty and it would just have just depressed her to see it.