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mami6 Asked March 2010

What kinds of assisted living facilities are covered by Medicare?

My mom is 88 and start to show some sign of dementia. I'm looking for assisting living, cover by Medical.  Any help on this I'd appreciate.

egiuffre May 2014
I found, in my area, some assisted living facilities will take Medicaid (not Medicare). My father is in a group home assisted living and there are 3 homes owned by this group. He is in the one closest to where I live - one farther away takes Medicaid. When he runs out of money and if he is still living, I have the option of moving him there. I did not place him there from the beginning due to the distance from my home and he currently has some income and savings. I am also trying to get a VA benefit for him - Aid and Assistance Benefit. If your mother was married to a veteran, she may qualify for a monthly benefit too. It seems like few people know about this benefit and I don't read a lot about it on this forum.

arose4yu Mar 2010
Unfortunately, assisted living is not covered by Medicare or Medi-cal/Medicaid and is normally paid of out-of--pocket or with long term insurance. The only options are nursing homes which the patient is normally required to spend down their own savings before Medi-cal takes over. Of course, there are ways around it but you'd have to consult with an elderlaw attorney.

Go to your nearest elder care center for help finding resources. You also should alert your mom's doctor so they can put her on medication to slow down the progress (Aricept and Namenda) IF they determine she is in fact showing signs.

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