MC costs
I’ve been reading a lot of posts about caregivers moving their loved ones into facilities once they can no longer care for them. I am not there and I’m praying that the time won’t come when I’m forced into a horrible decision like that. I feel that 80% of the folks that make the move can afford to do so. I’m just wondering what the 20% do? I would not have the funds to cover the high costs. I’m thinking that I will have no choice but to keep DH home and provide all the care myself no matter how hard it gets. Is anyone else out there in this same situation? We have too much to ever qualify for Medicaid but just don’t have the cash to sustain a long MC stay. It’s a sad place to be.
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We are in that situation. It's very worrisome indeed. Thankfully we are not there yet. My husband has several serious medical issues and I do hope that something else takes him before stage 7. I have consulted with an elder law attorney and we have updates our trust and all other important documents. We will not qualify for medicaid so it would be out of pocket. My plan is to keep him home woth help when we get to that stage BUT THAT IS EXPENSIVE TOO! We make too much in retirement to qualify for VA health care so I am taking it one day at a time, doing the best I can and trying to stay calm. I pray a lot and hope to figure it out as we move along this horrible journey. Do consult an Elder Law attorney to understand any options you may have.
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Unless you have had a consultation with a certified elder law attorney in your state, you can't know for sure that you wouldn't qualify for Medicaid funding. There are trusts and other strategies that can be put into place that would qualify your DH for Institutional Medicaid which follows different rules than what you think of as Medicaid.
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It is indeed very expensive. I placed my DH for 30 day respite and it really took a chunck out of our pockets . Now we are trying to live conservatively and I increased our At home care companion assistance . It gives me some respite time. I am also working on moving us to a one bedroom apartment at the end of the summer to reduce overall costs. Each state is different when it comes to Medicaid and an Elder law professional usually can get most alzheimer persons Medicaid qualified without leaving spouse destitute and if you are denied they tell you to always appeal the decision. We are going to try and remain at home with palliative and eventually hospice care. Best wishes as you continue to ponder options
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I don’t want to have to put my hubby in a home and would feel that way even if I could afford it. I, too, will have in-home care at some point just so that I can have a bit of respite. None of us ever thought we would be in this situation in our “golden years”, did we? It’s very sad and scary.
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Hi to all. Thank you to @Abby627 for starting this thread.
We are in the same boat as many - hoping we don’t have to place DH. I did learn about the GUIDE Model (in the US) and I am attaching a link to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Read up on this and contact an agency in your area to learn more. Quick synopsis - medicare will cover up to $2500 annually for respite services (in-home care). It’s not much but make sure you take advantage of this program.
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Find out if this would cover a stay in MC for perhaps a long weekend for respite. If it does, it could work as a test for you if you are thinking about MC.
Best to all.
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Every state is different. don't sell your house to down size to save money before you talk to an Elder Law Attorney. In the state I am in as long as one of you is living in the house its value is not counted against you for Medicaid but if you sell it then the money does count against you. There are also Medicaid approved annuities available to put money into that is not counted toward Medicaid. The independent spouse can keep more than in other Medicaid situations. Every state is different so do talk to a qualified specialist. Some of the options take some time to set up so check into it early even if you don't want to use it now. The more time you have the more options you have the information is good to have.
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this was always a question I had during the beginning stages. I am not at a place where I need MC and plan to keep him home but I am 56 and plan to work for several more years. I do work from home. I advise you to look for an elder care attorney, They can help you set up your estate so your LO would qualify for Medicaid even if you think you make too much money. In my state there is a 5 year look back for Medicaid eligibility so this means my DH would not qualify for Medicaid until 6 years after we set things up.
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I would meet with an elder law attorney to discuss your options. We kept my mil home until she died with round the clock care. It was very close to the cost of a memory care facility. We did not make this decision based on cost but issues we had during respite stays at the best memory care facilities where she was abused. As this disease progressed, she was bedridden and unable to do anything. You will not be able to lift and move your loved one.
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I feel your pain. I provided full time care for my husband at home to the point where I had to retire. I had planned on working a few more years. My income has been down for a few years due to caring for him. A few months ago his needs became such that I am unable to care for him at home even if I did hire help. I was forced to move him into memory care. No we can't afford it and we have too many assets to qualify for help. I am pretty much forced to spend the money I made and set aside for retirement. It is scary as I am not sure I'll be able to keep the house. I am younger than my DH and will likely live out my days in poverty which wasn't part of our retirement plan. Alzheimer's is a brutal disease.
It is liberating not to have to worry about money any more and it is nice to have a little free time and to see my DH so well taken care of. I try not to think about the future and am considering going back to full time work.
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I am in the process of getting things in order legally. I was shocked when lawyer in MA told me that I would be able to stay in in my house and keep $162,000 if my wife needs to go somewhere. We had to jump through all sorts of hoops a few years ago with my mother in law. I am going to see the lawyer again next week. Talk to an elder law attorney!
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You would have gotten to keep 162K and your home even if you had not talked to an elder attorney.
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@Dan520 - the difference most likely is that you are a community spouse and are entitled to keep enough of your joint assets to have a dignified life. Was your MIL single, divorced, or widowed? If so, she was responsible for no one but herself and had to use her money for care until she couldn’t.
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I will attach a link for Medicaid information by state. It’s no substitute for a good lawyer, but it might give enough information to get you started.
https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/medicaid-eligibility-income-chart/
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@tboard while it's true that seeing a lawyer doesn't change the law, it's also entirely possible that a family would sell the house and impoverish the spouse if they were unaware of what the law is.
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My DH only has Part A so it looks like he wouldn’t qualify for the Guide program. I do believe Medicare should do more to support in-home caregivers. I’m sure others pay more, some less, but I spent over 33,000.00 last year taking care of my DH at home. Sure, nursing homes are more, but I don’t have the same overhead as they do. My one bed nursing home runs around 2,750.00 a month give or take.
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Commonly Used Abbreviations
DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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