What happens when all money is exhausted in assisted living and its time for a NH? What happens to the monthly retirement check and Medicaid?

No, she is not married and the ALF does not have a memory care unit. It is strictly self-pay and my family plans to keep her there until her money runs out. She has a Life Insurance Policy from the Governent who states that the NH cannot get it upon her death. She wants to sell her house now while she is in the ALF but its not enough to put into a trust. Her dreams of leaving her children and grands a little something is becoming more unrealistic and whatever money is around will have to be used for funeral expenses. This is all so overwhelming and yet this pre-planning has to happen. I am under the opinion that there will be less and less Medicaid beds due to large amount of Alzeimers patients in 5 years. I am also under the opinion that those few beds allowed in NH will be NH that I would not want my mother to be in. Medicaid funds will have dwendled dramatically due to high unemployments rates in the country since someone said taxpayers are paying for it anyway. I wish I could get my family to see the vulnerabililty they are placing my mom in for her future needs. She does not to be in a ALF so young but keeping that money until her diseases progress to a point where she has to be put in a NH. I don't understand. It hurts me to think of her future and I feel so hopeless and helpless b/c I can only offer to take care of her now while I can. I don't know my own needs in 5 years - I may need someone myself to help me.

States are different you should see an elder care lawyer-it depends if the elder has what medicaide considers too much money if they do they have to pay for the nursing home until they spend down to what is allowed for a person to have and be on medicaide they look back 5 years at this time in most states -if the person gave away moeny to hide is within the last 5 years it has to be paid for their nursing home care-they do take SS and pensions and life insurance and any other assests they have above what is allowed-they can prepay for their final expenses of a furernal-it they own a house the spouse can live in it while they are living if it is in both names if only in the name of the person going into the nursing home it will be sold. Any debts owed will have to be paid by the well spouse even though they may be left pennieless with at least 1/2 the money comming-taxes and hose upkeep have to be paid by the well spouse and any credit card bills that are in both names will be paid by the well spouse-it is not fair by that is the way it is at this time-one car will be protected and left for the use of the well spouse-this is it briefly the nursing home gets their life insurance when the elder in the nursing home dies-people need to make plans when they are fairly young so that things can be put in trusts and such long before a persons health starts to fail-most elders do nt want to deal with all of this so medicaide gets more money than it should and the well spouse is not even considered atthis time.

In general, citizens are expected to pay for their own care, which is apparently what the person you are talking about does now. Not all (or even most) people who have worked hard all their lives, raised a family, paid their taxes, etc. can afford their own care if they live long and if they have health issues. And, of course, there are always people with disabilities that prevent them from fully paying their own way even before they reach retirement age. We all pay for Medicaid so that when these people run out of their own funds they have some where to turn.

So, yes, when elderly or impaired people qualify for Medicaid they are expected to use what funds they do have to pay as much as they can. Then taxpayers pick up the rest. All but a small personal allowance (which varies by state) will be taken to contribute to the NH costs. Assets (except usually a home) are expected to be used toward the person's care, too, often before Medicaid will kick in. This means that very few us are going to be able to pass a financial estate to our heirs. We need to use it on our own care first.

Because Medicaid sets its own payment amounts, not all NHs accept it. And some facilities will accept a limited number of Medicaid cases, based on what they have worked out for their overall budgets. Often these spots are available for people who have been private pay and then run out of funds. If the ALF has a memory unit, find out if they accept Medicaid, especially for people who have been private pay there.

The financial aspects of dementia are just one more tragic blow for the patient and the families.

The answer varies from state to state. Most NH's usually do take the alzeimer's residents, some only as long as they can walk and participate with daily activities and then they move to the more sub acute facilities. Check with your local assisted living facility and asked if they have a memory care unit, if they do some are paid for with state medicaid and some with private pay and part b medicare. I currently work for a NH and yes we do have residents with various degrees of the diease. Some facilities are designed for and only admitt AZ residents. Usually within California if the resourses are within the limits the income is considered a SOC. Good Luck to you.