Ccullen, I'm not sure why your mom is in the hospital and what her impairments are, but many patients do much better with rehab in a facility. More eyes to watch her, more encouragement to do exercises, less down time to think "poor me".
If your mom is basically healthy, mentally intact and you have a good relationship with her, then bringing her home is on okay plan. But think about a good rehab facility in case there is a next time.
CC - the state is not going to pay you to take care of your elder if the elder has the resources and ability to self-pay. And if your lucky enough to be in a state that does cash & counseling, the amount paid will be very small. It will not be a living wage nor will it be whatever salary you got paid at your last job. Seems to be minimum wage for maybe 15 - 20 hrs a week depending on what level of care is needed based on doctors orders; and you will need to take a training course of some sort. The elder is fully expected to spend-down their assets first & foremost before the state will pay.
Almost all programs - like Medicaid - have very specific financial & medical requirements. For NH Medicaid, they basically have to be impoverished (for individuals for NH care about 2K in non-exempt assets & 2K in income) and for medical they must show the need for skilled nursing care.
But it sounds like your parent has monthly income (SS, retirement) and perhaps other assets, like investments, that they can & should use to pay you for the caregiving you do. Mom pays you. Now if Medicaid could ever be anticipated to be needed, you will need to have a "caregiver agreement" drawn up between you & mom. Mom pays you, taxes filed, a real job with all that goes with that. Plus builds your SS quarters too. Attorney needs to do the agreement so that it will pass later on Medicaid scrutiny.
Really if they live long enough - unless they are generationally wealthy or did really good planning - they will run out of $$ and the caregiver will run out of steam, and they will need to go into a facility and apply for Medicaid for payment. Based on what my mom's costs have been, you need about 100K a year for SNF costs. If you are on the upper East Coast it will be more. Average stay is 3 years, so realistically they would need to have about mid6 liquid to have enough $$$ to pay for future care without needing Medicaid and have $ to leave an inheritance. My mom flat finally ran out of $ in her mid-90's. The costs of IL, AL & NH are just staggering. Every day I am thankful that Medicare & Medicaid exists. There is no way around not doing a spend-down unless you can plan years & years in advance when they are still independent and not needing to plan.
Ok, thanks for all the responses. No, she is not on Medicaid, too much retirement income and social security. Here in FL you need to make no more than $11,000 or some ridiculous amount to get assistance. She will be coming home, visiting nurses to do rehab, then outpatient after that. I will be doing like 60% of care, so I was wondering if the state would provide $$$.
Let me emphasis the guilt aspect. The hospital or rehab will definitely try to GUILT you in to taking mom/dad home.If you aren't set up are able to take on this kind of IMMENSE responsibility or have health problems of your own then dig your heels in, you are being an advocate for your loved one, they may even try throwing the word abandonment at you , you are not abandoning them, you are just not letting them go to an environment where they can't get the help they need and you are standing your ground in their best interest. It's all about the money, the hospital or rehab want that bed empty to get another customer.
Sunny, yes. If Mom is in the hospital the social worker will make all necessary arrangements for care after discharge. The hospital may try to pressure you into bringing her home. If that happens and she does not have help at home, and you are not willing or capable to provide the level of care Mom needs you can refuse to have her discharged to you. Some will say things to raise your level of guilt to try to sway you into taking Mom home. Do not let them do this, stand your ground. It is in Mom's best interest.
I'm not in Florida, but don't the hospitals have social workers who plan the care after discharge and work out all those details regarding the services she qualifies for?
Is Mom on Medicaid? Florida participates in "cash and counseling" which apparently allows medicaid to pay family caregivers. There is a thread on here about it, search cash and counseling.
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If your mom is basically healthy, mentally intact and you have a good relationship with her, then bringing her home is on okay plan. But think about a good rehab facility in case there is a next time.
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Almost all programs - like Medicaid - have very specific financial & medical requirements. For NH Medicaid, they basically have to be impoverished (for individuals for NH care about 2K in non-exempt assets & 2K in income) and for medical they must show the need for skilled nursing care.
But it sounds like your parent has monthly income (SS, retirement) and perhaps other assets, like investments, that they can & should use to pay you for the caregiving you do. Mom pays you. Now if Medicaid could ever be anticipated to be needed, you will need to have a "caregiver agreement" drawn up between you & mom. Mom pays you, taxes filed, a real job with all that goes with that. Plus builds your SS quarters too. Attorney needs to do the agreement so that it will pass later on Medicaid scrutiny.
Really if they live long enough - unless they are generationally wealthy or did really good planning - they will run out of $$ and the caregiver will run out of steam, and they will need to go into a facility and apply for Medicaid for payment. Based on what my mom's costs have been, you need about 100K a year for SNF costs. If you are on the upper East Coast it will be more. Average stay is 3 years, so realistically they would need to have about mid6 liquid to have enough $$$ to pay for future care without needing Medicaid and have $ to leave an inheritance. My mom flat finally ran out of $ in her mid-90's. The costs of IL, AL & NH are just staggering. Every day I am thankful that Medicare & Medicaid exists. There is no way around not doing a spend-down unless you can plan years & years in advance when they are still independent and not needing to plan.