Questions about senior citizens and assisted living.

[No Vested Interest]

4. Assisted living does not usually qualify for Medicaid, though I understand

that in the last several years there have been some exceptions to that policy.
What exactly the exceptions are I do not know.
Usually only nursing care qualifies for Medicaid.

I myself see nothing wrong in the State requiring financial assets be used to pay for assisted living, since otherwise one would be taking from other citizens to pay for one's own keep. If one stays in one's own home, they would be using their own assets.

Having said that, one can protect oneself by paying in advance for funeral and burial, and by designating certain possessions as the property of those you would wish to have them.

Mother-in-law would be wise to stay with family as long as possible, though in some cases that can become impossible with certain debilities and conditions. And, yes, professional counsel on these affairs is a good idea, though I would not trust some attorneys who specialize in getting around regulations, because they may put the elder person in a worse situation than they might have been in without the professional help.

My sister was in a nursing facility in NC the last years of her life, under Medicaid.
She was allowed to retain $30/month from her Social Security; the facility took the rest for payment. The $30 has now been increased to $40/month, I understand. That is to cover all personal expenses such as toiletries, hairdo and cuts, clothing, etc. My brother and I supplemented her funds with amounts sent to her daughter, who provided my sister with a phone and other items.

My mother was in assisted living the last nine years of her life. Her own assets were used to pay for her expenses. When she died, her assets were enough to pay for just six more months at the facility, but hse had the dignity of paying her own way and having her own room/privacy during her last years.

I personally find the Medicaid choice repugnant in that one is usually living the rest of one's life in a room with a stranger. So when lawyers speak of helping you qualify for a Medicaid facility in your old age, be aware of the down side of Medicaid living in a facility. Of course, for many, it is the only option, but given a choice, it seems to me to be better to remain with family or pay one's own way as long as possible.