legal responsibility of elderly mother

[leff1rj]

What is the name of your state? Indiana

My sister and I both have P.O.A. of my mother's affairs. She has been placed in nursing home in the past month. Mother has demential, suspected to be Alzheimers Disease. Other than paying the nursing home bill from Mother's assets, am I legally responsible for her actions? Can the nursing home tell me she cannot stay there anymore because they can't handle her? Can I tell the nursing home administration that her care is there responsibility and that whatever needs to be done to care for her they should do? This is a full care facility with an Alzheimers wing to contain these patients. And when her assets run out, am I responsible for paying the nursing home monthly bill? Or do I fill out whatever government paperwork there is and medicare takes over her bills? My sister and I are extremely stressed over the possibility that the nursing home may call one day and tell us "come get her right now, we can't take care of her". Any experience, advice, knowledge would be most welcome.

Thank you.

 

[violas]

Yes a nursing home can tell you she cannot stay because they can't handle her anymore. I'm a nurse not a lawyer. I have worked in nursing homes and if a patient is "too violent" they will sometimes have the patient sent to the local state psychiatric hospital. My advice is to hire a lawyer who specializes in "elder law". My Mom also has Alzheimer's and I have an "elder law" attorney who is helping me greatly. Good luck. When your mother runs out of assets whe will then be elgible to go on medicaid.

 

[BlondiePB]

And when her assets run out, am I responsible for paying the nursing home monthly bill?

If you have signed the nursing home contract improperly making yourself the guarantor, then you will be responsible for the bill.

Or do I fill out whatever government paperwork there is and medicare takes over her bills?

When your mother's assests drop below $3,000.00, you need to file the appropriate paperwork. Has your mother had a psychiatric evaluation and put on psychotrophic medications?

 

[lwpat]

Or do I fill out whatever government paperwork there is and medicare takes over her bills

Check with your local Senior Citizens Center. They usually have pamphlets that explain the government programs and often have contacts for free legal assistance.

 

[leff1rj]

thank you all. Mother has not yet seen by a psychoanalyst but will soon. My sister has suggested to nursing home staff to get her on some type of medication soon to even out her attitude, emotional swings, etc. The staff keeps saying well we have to have evaluated and my sister and I are saying please do so soon.
With respect to the nursing home telling us to come get her because they cannot handle her, would the nursing home not send her to some form of hospital to evaluate her mentally and prescribe medicine accordingly before simply calling my sister or myself and saying come get her, should she perform the slightest aggressive act? And if this does happen, and the nursing home is not helpful with what to do with mother next,..... any suggestions as to what I do? The State Mental Hospital??? That seems rather depressing even though my mother is unhealthy mentally. But if that is the best thing to do for Mother, then that is what will be done.
Thanks again for your answers and opinions.

 

[BlondiePB]

thank you all. Mother has not yet seen by a psychoanalyst but will soon. My sister has suggested to nursing home staff to get her on some type of medication soon to even out her attitude, emotional swings, etc. The staff keeps saying well we have to have evaluated and my sister and I are saying please do so soon.
With respect to the nursing home telling us to come get her because they cannot handle her, would the nursing home not send her to some form of hospital to evaluate her mentally and prescribe medicine accordingly before simply calling my sister or myself and saying come get her, should she perform the slightest aggressive act? And if this does happen, and the nursing home is not helpful with what to do with mother next,..... any suggestions as to what I do? The State Mental Hospital??? That seems rather depressing even though my mother is unhealthy mentally. But if that is the best thing to do for Mother, then that is what will be done.
Thanks again for your answers and opinions.

Nursing Homes have psychiatrists that come to the facility for evaluations. Soon?? It's been about a week now. Just when is the evaluation scheduled? Your sister that has the POA has the right to know when this evaluation is scheduled. It will take some time to regulate your mother's medication. Don't worry about your mother being evicted from the nursing home now. Y'all need to worry about her getting an evaluation and on medication. The sooner, the better. Work on getting your mother seen by a psychiatrist immediately.