What if money tight

charley0419

What are your options if you financially can’t afford care at a facility??

M1

Hi Charley, I can tell from your questions that you are trying hard to get your head around what lies ahead for you and your wife. The vast majority of folks in this country cannot afford to pay for long-term dementia care (it runs anywhere from $3000 per month to over $10,000 per month, depending on where you live). Medicare does not cover long-term care either; therefore, most people end up needing to apply for their state's Medicaid program. This usually involves assessing what you have, and each state has specific rules about how much of those personal assets have to be spent on care in order to qualify. As said on other threads, you need to make an appointment with a certified elder law attorney (abbreviated CELA) who can help you assess your finances, get her qualified for long-term Medicaid in your state, and get your other legal papers in order. CELA's can be found by location at nelf.org. It is very much worth the money to get it right. Once this is done, you can research what facilities in your area accept Medicaid payment. Many times, families admit their loved one to a facility and pay for as many months as they can afford privately, before converting to Medicaid payment--but not all facilities do this, so you want to know on the front end. Most families don't want to admit their loved one to one place and then face another move later.

Hope that helps.

MN Chickadee

Research long term care medicaid in your state for a basic understanding of how it works. It varies by state and the rules are strict. Then consult an elder law attorney for financial planning based on your LO's specific financials. Most people don't fall under the income cap but there are programs and ways of doing it to make up the difference of what the individual can't cover. If you want to post what state you are in others may have experience with it.

charley0419

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/187252#Comment_187252

NJ

easy23

Hi Charley0419 - I don't see any way of getting around going to see an elder law attorney. I live in NJ and talked to an attorney about how I could qualify for Medicaid when the time comes. The attorney asked for all of my financial information and then told me what can be done. I am not ready yet, but I know where to go and what to do in the future.

Here is a link to a search tool for long-term facilities from the NJ Dept of Health. You can search for facilities that accept Medicaid.

https://healthapps.state.nj.us/facilities/fsSetSearch.aspx?by=county

gampiano

Hi Charley,

Basically our health care system s...ks. Yes you should go to a CELA, because there are few options available in this country. Meanwhile,

Contact Elder Services in your area to see what help you can get immediately. Maybe you can bring your wife to a day care program. They are usually affordable, and the one in my area has aid available , so check that out.

Get yourself and wife on MEALS ON WHEELS. No payment is required . It will save you tons of money, and time. Having trouble giving meds? Use the pudding and crush the pills.

Does you wife need depends or pads? Your local senior center may have some , stored away , or will be able to direct you to a place that does. I got loads of stuff from the senior center for FREE, including a rolling walker, wheel chair, pads, wipes---they are a great resource.

ALSO... FOOD PANTRY. Don't be ashamed or afraid to inquire . You can get many things from there, and some will even deliver food to your house.

Take advantage of any and all programs , even if you don't think you're "poor enough". You'd be surprised at how many people are using these services.

Please do,

Maureen

Jeanne C.

Charley, you're doing the best thing for you and your wife by looking into this before it's a crisis.

Definitely see a CELA. Until I did, I received so much advice that was completely wrong. The website below has the basic information for NJ. But before you start moving money and worrying about spend-down, see an expert. It takes work to get approved, but it can be done.

https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/medicaid-eligibility-new-jersey/

tboard

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/187240#Comment_187240

Thanks! I am in the early stages of trying to figure this all out.