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I am only beginning this journey and still trying to wrap my head around the costs and how most people can afford to pay.


A bit of context, the person of concern here suffers from moderately severe Alzheimer’s and needs full-time care. $90 - 110K annual costs (average cost in my state I have been told) for a home is way beyond what we can afford.


Any advice on what to do in this case? I have done some research and spoken to a local area agency but still have a lot of homework to do.


Thank you!

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You need to qualify the person for and get approval for State long term care Medicaid, then you need to admit him/her to a nursing home that accepts long term Medicaid patients. Qualifying for long term care Medicaid is not as difficult as some people believe. An elder attorney in your State would be able to advise on what needs to be done and do it for you if you wish (of course the attorney fees are high sometimes, but if the person has any assets, the assets would have to be drained to qualify for Medicaid anyway, so paying the lawyer will help with the spend down). Some states have Medicaid waivers for memory care facilities as well.

The more difficult part may not be getting the Medicaid approval, but placing your LO in a nursing home on your own. I've heard it is difficult to cold call, ask the facilities if they have an open Medicaid bed and get immediate placement, and a lot of facilities have wait lists. Many people have found quicker success getting help through the local hospital.
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I wish you had given more info on who this person is to you. Makes a big difference in if its a Spouse.

When it comes to Medicaid, a spouse who does not need care becomes the Community spouse. Assets are split. The assets of the spouse needing care are spent down and then apply for Medicaid. The Community Spouse remains in the home with enough of the monthly income to pay bills.

If you are talking about an AL, 4 yrs ago the 2 where I live were 5k a month. If two people are living in one room, I doubt if they would pay 10k. Like said, probably charged for any care they may need.
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IME, care centers vary so much in cost---in my state, $90 would buy a really great place for mom or dad. $5-6K is more in line with a place that is clean, safe and probably just fine (as long as you keep your head in the game--I think if we ever place mom we'll be pretty cautious and we'll take a day a piece to check on her care.)

Don't be fooled by the 'entrance' to one of these places. Often a lot of money goes into sprucing up what the common folks see--and the actual rooms are dismal, dark and depressing. Mother chose a rehab based on the BROCHURE even tho it was one in my 'neighborhood' that I KNEW was disgusting--and wow, was she surprised to wind up dumped into a messy, disorganized, smelly OLD rehab facility. She never got out of the transfer wheelchair, sat there swearing and throwing things for 24 hrs until we got her placed in a better facility at the grand cost of $25 a day more. OS just gave them her CC and said 'bill the difference to me'.

But--if this is a permanent room, you don't need the hassle of moving mom all the time. Check the place out thoroughly.

They can't take all the money a couple has--there are laws to protect the non-ill spouse, so all income isn't used for one of them, leaving them destitute. A quick chat with a lawyer wouldn't go amiss, either.
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If this person is a husband or wife, then the income gets sorted so that the spouse not needing care gets to keep their own income for their own living. The other entering care will have to spend what assets and funds he or she has until there is none. Then Medicaid steps in.
Start with an hour of a Lawyer's time if the spousal income is an issue. If not, then the "person there" enters care when needed, spends what assets they have until there are not, and then are cared for by State and Federal government.
Call 1-800-medicare for their free yearly book sent to you that speaks of medicare and medicaid. Go to the top AgingCare timeline (blue) and go to care topics and research topics there. And know the computer is full of information from IRS, from Govermental sites. AARP online has a wealth of information as well. Wishing you luck.
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I am sure others will also have great ideas but..
Is the person you are asking about a Veteran? If so the depending on where and when he or she served the VA has a variety of programs that might help.
To find out if they are eligible you can contact the Veterans Assistance Commission in your county and ask. The service is free there is no need to pay someone to get this information.
there is a possibility that this person might also qualify for Hospice services if so all the equipment that you would need would be provided by Hospice. Hospice is covered by most insurance as well as Medicare and Medicaid.
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