Assisted living

[MistyMountain]

What are the options for family that cannot handle the care of someone with new disabilities on their own but they also are do not have a high income to afford assisted living? They are older adults living on a pension. The person with disabilities now used to have a part time job but that will no longer be.

[Ottakee]

I would apply for SSI immediately. Sometimes they will help or medicaid. Depending in the needs there are adult foster homes and nursing homes.

[Joules]

If either have had any time in the military look at Aid and Attendance benefits.  It doesn't take much to qualify, much less than VA benefits.  My dad's reserve unit was called up for only three months, but it was war-time so he qualified (even though they stayed stateside).  Spouses qualify for benefits, too.

[zoobie]

Ask assisted living facilities/nursing homes for recommendations for social workers in the person's area. An attorney who specializes in elder law and disability may be helpful too if you need to properly dispose of assets before Medicaid kicks in.

[catz]

I don't know specifics but I know a couple families that had to walk this road.  Including for one parent that had Parkinson's for years and his care was extensive.  So I hope you're able to hook up with the resources you need quickly and painlessly!  :grouphug:

[G5052]

Call your Area Agency on Aging. They can give you some particulars on facilities, home care agencies, and other resources.

 

You also should see if you can line up an eldercare attorney. Many facilities will require that someone else take over their affairs before admitting them, and you may have to have legal paperwork to set that in place.

 

Keep in mind that many assisted living facilities are self-pay, so don't be surprised if that becomes an option you don't have. There was one assisted living facility in the area where my parents lived, and it was $5000-9,000/month, completely self-paid. That's why they always say that long-term care insurance is important.

 

I've done this over-and-over for both sets of parents and extended family, and it's always very, very difficult. Take time for yourself and manage your health and well-being through this.

[Guest]

Some assisted living facilities set aside a few rooms for medicaid patients.  Not very many rooms, but if your loved ones will qualify for medicaid at some point, it would be worth checking out.  My FIL had  private room in a long-term care facility, completely paid by Medicaid.  It wasn't fancy but they kept him cared for and fed.  And many of the "inmates" were self-pay.  

 

I would start looking around if this is the case, because a) there are very few rooms and b) not every place that is Medicaid funded (OR self-pay) is very good.  

 

 

[StephanieZ]

Not many good options . . . It really sucks to be poor. I'm so sorry. 

 

My grandma was very low income with few assets (and very low social security), and she lived in a "Fellowship House" that was essentially an apartment building that also had a couple activity rooms and also had an (optional) dining hall. It was actually quite nice. I have no idea if other areas have things like that, but that was in Reston, Virginia, FWIW. They had a sliding scale rent, but I think you might have had to had sufficient income upon moving in to get in . . . She moved in while still working full-time, and I think maybe she paid up to 25% of her pay for rent, but then when her income went way down to social security, her rent went way down, too. Lived there until early/mid dementia set in, at which time she went into a nursing home (that, similarly, required private pay to get in . . . but once her money ran out after a year or so, then they accepted Medicaid . . . But you could not move in at first if you were on Medicaid, had to be able to pay cash for some period of time.) That was in the 80s-90s, and I'm not sure if any of those options apply anymore. 

 

NURSING homes generally accept Medicaid. I'd be shocked if many Assisted Living facilities take poor people, as Medicaid does NOT cover Assisted Living. (Neither does Medicare or any other gov't program that I know of.) 

 

If someone requires a NURSING HOME, then Medicaid can be made to pay eventually, but it's generally gonna' be easier to find a nice place if you have enough money to pay for at least some period of time. (And you have to spend all your money before Medicaid kicks in anyway.)

 

I definitely agree with the advice to find a social worker!! And do a lot of googling for resources in the town/county/state the person lives in (or will live in). There are huge regional variations. 

 

[Seasider]

Your loved one's insurance company may have a nurse navigator/liaison/social worker available to you through the primary care physician.

 

You may want to make sure the patient's HIPPA authorizations on file at his/her doctors' offices are updated to include the names of family members who will be assisting with care arrangements. It's complicated to begin with, moreso if you keep running into walls because providers don't have permission to speak with you about a patient's needs.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Seasider

[TechWife]

The newly disabled person will need to get SSI benefits and Medicare if they don't already have it. Depending on their income and/or level of disability, they may qualify for Medicaid. If this person is currently in the hospital, the family needs to request assistance from the social worker there. They will know how to get them started applying for these various benefits. There are a variety of placement options - group homes, assisted living and nursing homes. It will depend a lot on the diagnosis of the person, their level of functioning and their financial resources as to which are possibilities. If they are not currently in the hospital, contact the county health and human services department to find out what is available in that area. They may provide some home visits by a social worker to get supports in place. A newly disabled person should not be discharged from the hospital without supports in place. It can be difficult to find an appropriate placement right away and there may be waiting lists involved. Again, a hospital social worker or a county social worker can help them navigate the system. 

[heartlikealion]

Not really the question you asked, but as a short-term solution would it help at all to have part-time outside care? I don't know in this case if that would work or not. My mom and dad have someone from a company come a couple of times a week to watch my mom and do light cleaning. My dad gets a break this way. My grandmother also have someone come over to her home, but they are there certain days and not overnight. She has someone come over daily, though, so at least someone can sorta check up on her once a day (caregiver, hair dresser, neighbor and/or someone from church).

[AimeeM]

We're kind of going through this with my FIL, but it's more streamlined because he's dying and has hospice services.

But, hospice only comes in once daily (the aid, that is; he also has nurses and doctors in and out during the week, but the aid is daily through hospice).

We hired a private company to come in a couple more times daily, when the hospice aid isn't there. The aids that we hired privately do everything from light housekeeping and cooking, to running errands if needed. I believe it costs about $25/hr through the agency we hired. 

My FIL's hospice social worker made it very clear to us that it would be more cost-effective to hire the private agency to stay with Dad 24 hours a day - vs. a nursing home or assisted living facility. 

 

So, it may be cheaper to have someone come in a few times every day, vs. looking into assisted living, provided your loved one can manage SOME of their own.

[Katy]

Most likely they will move into a shared room in a nursing home, paid for with a combination of government programs.

 

And don't assume they would have better care in an assisted living facility than a nursing home.  Chances are they will get much better care in a nursing home, because they are heavily regulated.  Assisted living means nothing in a legal sense, and they can be EXTREMELY dangerous.  There was a Frontline program you can watch on PBS online that can explain very clearly why assisted living is almost always a poor choice. Basically it is only a good option if the person is very sharp mentally and physically, and only needs checked on from time to time for a family's peace of mind.

 

Yes, it can be much easier to not have to share a room with a stranger in a nursing home, but it's also possible to become friends with them.  It's not so bad.