What happens if someone can't pay for a nursing home?

That person would go on Medicaid. Please note though that many assisted living facilities and memory care facilities do not accept Medicaid so if your LO is in one of those private paying, some planning must be done if the money is going to be exhausted in some not so distant point in the future.

I've always wondered what happens when someone without children willing to "help" gets into this situation when they have a house. I mean, does APS just step in and put someone in a NH pending the proceedings for guardianship, and then just take the house as private pay prior to medicaid?

How about if it's some old illegal immigrant? Then what happens? Are we using our taxpayer dollars on them?

Medicaid will pay for long term care if a oerson is both financially and medically at need.

Remember that it's your mom's income that counts, not yours.