I am up to the point of Mom's rehab being over and now it will be Private Pay for LTC. I have talked to the NH Admin and the suggest Medicaid but Mom still owns a home that is on the market and has bills and upkeep on that home including taxes. I was told they will consume all her income so what is the best thing to do? Also is it a good thing to let the facility help to sign her up for Medicaid then they will know all her business. She is in a skilled bed in the AL unit but is treated like a regular nh wing only locked down. Not a great situation but all the facilities are out of LTC beds. HELP! OH, she is also being drugged because she is irate and yells a LOT!
But if there is equity value left in her house that is now on the market, you can set aide the funds that come from the house closing for your Moms supplemental needs, in a Pooled Trust Account. The time to talk with an Elder Law Attorney is now, so that the Medicaid application and the house closing can be coordinated. The Attorney should be aware of charities that provide Pooled Trust services in your state.
Saving the money from the real estate closing in the Pooled Trust account is especially important for your Mom. You may be able to use the funds for a geriatric care manager and care providers who can assist the nursing home in alleviating the behaviors that are prompting the need for the medications you mentioned.
Recently, my mother became quite agitated because she thought she had been told that she had leprosy, and she was afraid she was going to pass it on to my niece's unborn baby. Other times, she becomes agitated because she says she didn't pay income taxes in 1939 and she's going to Hell.
In my mind, giving a patient antianxiety or antipsychotics when they are very upset over something that is illusory is a kindness; I don't think of it as mom being "drugged"; she's being medicated for what ails her.
If your mom is medicated to the point of being non-responsive, then you need to talk to her physician about that. But just the fact that she's being given psychiatric meds (antidepressants, antianxiety meds or even antipsychotics in certain situations) does not mean she's being "drugged".
The only person who will " know mom's business" is the business office. Staff doesn't know who is private pay/Medicaid in a well run facility.