How can I find an assisted living that my Mom can afford?
Her income is $4,000.00 a month with bills that total $1,500 a month the center she is in now is $4,500 this is not going to work for us but a few months what do we do??? She makes to much for Medicaid or any other sort of assistance.
Wow, she's really had a lot going on - poor woman; she must be exhausted from the surgeries and recovery period.
You do have a dilemma. I don't have any good suggestions right now but just wanted to thank you for the explanations. They help put in perspective the issues you're facing.
Nothing has changed I have a lot going on. My mom was living with me until January 2015 she feel and has been in and out of hospitals nursing homes for rehab and now she has exhausted her insurance benefit and she needs more rehab so she can come back here and live with me. So she is now in an assisted living center (witch she can't afford) for only a few months to get more rehab. I hope this makes it more clear. First my mom fell and shattered her pelvis the nursing home had her walking on it full weight and within 3 weeks they pushed her hip up into her pelvis so then 30 days after the pelvis reconstruction she got a hip replacement then about 3 weeks after that her 100 days ran out with Medicare and I had to bring her home she was not ready to come home yet and was home 3 days with me and fell 4 times and the last fall she broke her clavicle bone another trip to hospital a 6 day stay blue cross her secondary insurance approved another 30 days in rehab where 22 days of that she couldn't walk with her walker because she couldn't put weight on that arm so this is where we are today 30 days were up had to leave but this time I'm not bringing her home to fall again so I placed her in AL so she can get 4days a week rehab.
I had thought the addition you added provided a nice way to keep your mother at home and care for her, probably with some additional help. Do you now feel it's better to opt for a nursing home?
It's unfortunate but I think a lot of people are in a similar situation - at the stage where income or assets are too high to qualify for Medicaid but insufficient to provide for long term care. I think this is one of the conundrums that make caregiving so difficult.
But I think Babalou has a workable suggestion; you might want to contact an estate planning or elder law attorney to see what options are available.
My understanding also is that AL is incrementally fee based in addition to the basic rental. Perhaps you could shave off some of the additional costs by providing the care yourself? I.e., one of the local ones charges additionally for everything - $8 to help manage meds, another $8 for something else, and on and on it goes. These charges add up quickly.
She stills owns her home it has been on the market now for 2 years she is living with me up until she shattered her pelvis and need to go to a nursing home. She has exhausted her benefit with Medicare and her blue cross and is now self pay but she is unable to afford the cost of the assisted living centers that's where we are now.
What kind of bills does she have that total $500 per month?
You could find a reputable Elder Care Attorney to do what's called a Miller Trust (don't know if these are available in all states). Mom does private pay until her assets are at Medicaid eligibility level. Excess income goes into the trust, recovered by Medicaid at her passing.
I did use the "find housing and care" we found assisted living but she can't afford them she makes to much for assistance and not enough to pay for it with her income so I don't know what to do.
One suggestion is to go to the large blue box right next to this answer where it says "Find Housing and Care", put in the zip code, and mark "Assisted Living".... the results will ask for information.
Also contact your county agency on aging to see if they can direct you,... go to the website link below.... click on your State.... now click on the city/county. https://www.agingcare.com/local/Area-Agency-on-Aging
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You do have a dilemma. I don't have any good suggestions right now but just wanted to thank you for the explanations. They help put in perspective the issues you're facing.
My mom was living with me until January 2015 she feel and has been in and out of hospitals nursing homes for rehab and now she has exhausted her insurance benefit and she needs more rehab so she can come back here and live with me. So she is now in an assisted living center (witch she can't afford) for only a few months to get more rehab. I hope this makes it more clear. First my mom fell and shattered her pelvis the nursing home had her walking on it full weight and within 3 weeks they pushed her hip up into her pelvis so then 30 days after the pelvis reconstruction she got a hip replacement then about 3 weeks after that her 100 days ran out with Medicare and I had to bring her home she was not ready to come home yet and was home 3 days with me and fell 4 times and the last fall she broke her clavicle bone another trip to hospital a 6 day stay blue cross her secondary insurance approved another 30 days in rehab where 22 days of that she couldn't walk with her walker because she couldn't put weight on that arm so this is where we are today 30 days were up had to leave but this time I'm not bringing her home to fall again so I placed her in AL so she can get 4days a week rehab.
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You wrote just a few days ago:
'My mom will continue to live with me I have put on an addition to my house for her to stay in." This was on your other post: https://www.agingcare.com/questions/creation-of-a-trust-house-with-existing-mortgage-184107.htm?cpage=2
I had thought the addition you added provided a nice way to keep your mother at home and care for her, probably with some additional help. Do you now feel it's better to opt for a nursing home?
It's unfortunate but I think a lot of people are in a similar situation - at the stage where income or assets are too high to qualify for Medicaid but insufficient to provide for long term care. I think this is one of the conundrums that make caregiving so difficult.
But I think Babalou has a workable suggestion; you might want to contact an estate planning or elder law attorney to see what options are available.
My understanding also is that AL is incrementally fee based in addition to the basic rental. Perhaps you could shave off some of the additional costs by providing the care yourself? I.e., one of the local ones charges additionally for everything - $8 to help manage meds, another $8 for something else, and on and on it goes. These charges add up quickly.
You could find a reputable Elder Care Attorney to do what's called a Miller Trust (don't know if these are available in all states). Mom does private pay until her assets are at Medicaid eligibility level. Excess income goes into the trust, recovered by Medicaid at her passing.
Also contact your county agency on aging to see if they can direct you,... go to the website link below.... click on your State.... now click on the city/county. https://www.agingcare.com/local/Area-Agency-on-Aging