what if nursing home?

[janalea46]

What is the name of your state?Georgia
My mom in the advanced stages of Alzheimers my family & I live w/ her and care for her. Her house is now in her name w/ my name also on tranfer of death. She has some money(stocks) invested which I have POA over all her affairs. I don't know if I will have to put her in a nusing home but if I do I know her assets will have to be a lot lower for medicaid to pay for this and I also know they can take her house. What should I do to keep them from taking all her assets if this happens?

 

[BlondiePB]

What is the name of your state?Georgia
My mom in the advanced stages of Alzheimers my family & I live w/ her and care for her. Her house is now in her name w/ my name also on tranfer of death. She has some money(stocks) invested which I have POA over all her affairs. I don't know if I will have to put her in a nusing home but if I do I know her assets will have to be a lot lower for medicaid to pay for this and I also know they can take her house. What should I do to keep them from taking all her assets if this happens?

Standard answer: "Sorry, we don't assist posters with "spending down" assests to qualify for Medicaid as that is fraud which is a crime."

 

[Hamop]

Asset Protection

There are many lawyers who deal in "asset protection" and they are not breaking any laws by doing so,they simply make you aware of what you can LEGALLY do. There are free seminars that are advertised as well. If there is a considerable amount of money involved it would probably be worth at least going to a seminar to get some ideas. I'm in the same boat.

Hamop

 

[BlondiePB]

And of course, Medicaid will be looking back SEVERAL years at an applicant's assests for transfers. Someone in advanced stages of Alzheimer's won't have enough time. Why should the taxpayers pay for this when one has assests or did not take out insurance policies for this type of care?

 

[Hamop]

Asset Protection

I am not saying that the taxpayers SHOULD pay for this. However,as you stated,the government doe's,indeed,have a 3-5 year look back period and several other regulations that go along with it and I'm sure that the people who wrote these regulations are well aware of the fact that wealthy people will use every legal option at their disposal to impoverish themselves within the time period. It has been going on for years and if the proper strategies are used there is nothing illegal,immoral,or wrong with it. There are many government programs in this country that are used to their full advantage by people who probably don't even need the help,but,for one reason or another they have become ENTITLED to it. Yes,"they" are trying to work on the entitlement regulations but changes like that take years to happen,if ever.
In this particular case,if there just isn't enough time left then that,of course,is an obvious problem,however,given the very concept of a forum like this,where people can ask anything about everything (as long as it's legal ) I see nothing wrong with giving them information that is avialable to ALL of us,information that we would ALL use to our own advantage. I am not an attorney,but I have dealt with several (and some are real *******s) BUT I can't think of ONE who would disagree with that. This person should INDEED at least talk to an estate planning attorney and have ALL of the options explained in detail as they relate to their particular situation,it's simply the prudent thing to do. My mother doe's not have have Alzheimers disease,BUT she is 90 years old and THAT is a perfect example of "not enough time" left,but even at that age there are still certain options avialable. NO ONE want's to see their life savings go to a nursing home. The poor have nothing to worry about but the people who have made some REAL money during their lifetime did'nt do it without savvy,good luck,hard work or all of the above and common sense alone dictates that they should at least TRY to protect it.
Hamop

 

[BlondiePB]

I am not saying that the taxpayers SHOULD pay for this. However,as you stated,the government doe's,indeed,have a 3-5 year look back period and several other regulations that go along with it and I'm sure that the people who wrote these regulations are well aware of the fact that wealthy people will use every legal option at their disposal to impoverish themselves within the time period. It has been going on for years and if the proper strategies are used there is nothing illegal,immoral,or wrong with it. There are many government programs in this country that are used to their full advantage by people who probably don't even need the help,but,for one reason or another they have become ENTITLED to it. Yes,"they" are trying to work on the entitlement regulations but changes like that take years to happen,if ever.
In this particular case,if there just isn't enough time left then that,of course,is an obvious problem,however,given the very concept of a forum like this,where people can ask anything about everything (as long as it's legal ) I see nothing wrong with giving them information that is avialable to ALL of us,information that we would ALL use to our own advantage. I am not an attorney,but I have dealt with several (and some are real *******s) BUT I can't think of ONE who would disagree with that. This person should INDEED at least talk to an estate planning attorney and have ALL of the options explained in detail as they relate to their particular situation,it's simply the prudent thing to do. My mother doe's not have have Alzheimers disease,BUT she is 90 years old and THAT is a perfect example of "not enough time" left,but even at that age there are still certain options avialable. NO ONE want's to see their life savings go to a nursing home. The poor have nothing to worry about but the people who have made some REAL money during their lifetime did'nt do it without savvy,good luck,hard work or all of the above and common sense alone dictates that they should at least TRY to protect it.
Hamop

Those that have done PRIOR PROPER estate planning do not come to this forum looking for ways to "spend down" a family member's assests to avoid their "potential" inheritance being spent on the care required to take care of the family member. Estate planning has already been done by those with REAL money.

Most of these threads are by family members more worried about their "potential" inheritance rather than the family members reassuring the elder that everything will be taken care of. There's no need to worry an elder that his/her home will be sold to ensure that the elder will be properly cared for when the elder must be placed in a nursing home or an assisted living facility because once an elder cannot live at home anymore, that elder has no further need for his/her home.

Responsible family members DO sell the elder's home for the elder's care. These responsible family members do post here, and I do assist them with their problems. "Responsible" forum members do not assist posters with fraud such as "spending down" -- which is what is going on in this thread and most of the others where PRIOR PROPER estate planning was NOT done.

 

[sixpack]

Yes, Elder care lawyer.

But! If she has to go to a nursing home, pick one that is a good one and please use her money for things that she will need. I did this for my grandparents. (they did not have a lot, but some). Because nursing homes often get things lost in the laundry and have a "cold" feeling about them, getting nice and pretty items that you know that she would want you to do for her in her circumstances. A "respect" thing. It will feel good knowing you are doing for her as though she may would want even if she understood. Clothes are a biggy, under things, music...a long and narrow dresser. Lots of clothes and stock up. These things disappear and I for one did not like seeing my grandparents wearing something that was not theirs and did not fit them.
Mark everything, but remember...they do disappear even if they are. My grandfather liked music even in his worsen state and it gave me pleasure to have a small boom box with a nice collection of his favorites. Think this through...they worked hard and even though you may be gifted with something...it is nice to gift them with love and respect in everyway possible.

I wish my mother was here.....I tried to do the same for her right before she died too soon. Keep the focus.

I know caring for her must be hard, but it is very loving of you and hang in there!
Warm thoughts

 

[FarmerJ]

Having worked in a nursing home laundry I know that personals marked with laundry markers have the markings fade and all though if the personals are washed on site normally then its the same people delivering clean personals who try hard to remark faded things. but the best way to keep track of a family members personals is by keeping a tight inventory on all clothing and insisting that clothing that is too worn to be used be stored for family members to dispose of personally and to use sewn in embroidered labels . and to be a active family member by not only going to visit often but checking the clothing inventory and taking the time to review your family members charting. Many nursing homes will not discourage family members from doing those things but they also learn that family members who are active in the care plans of the resident are watching them and it does seem to make a difference for the resident when family members are involved.

 

[ambrelite]

Why should tax payers pay for this?

Why should tax payers pay for Billions of dollars to be sent
to Africa or other foreign country?
Help our own first.
Stop giving away our money to other countries for free.
Why is it - When Americans try to get help its either fraud
or they want to take away your house ?
But its ok to send over billions and billions to some other country,
no questions asked.
Wake up people, you complain about tax dollars helping our own,
but say nothing when giving away all that money to other countries.
The government owes us much more and should not take away
our house to give us benefits.
If they can send Billions to other countries with no questions asked,
They should be able to give Billions out to Americans with no questions asked
after all We are the ones who pay for it, so why shouldn't we also
benefit from it? The Government Owes Us !

 

[BlondiePB]

Why should tax payers pay for this?

Why should tax payers pay for Billions of dollars to be sent
to Africa or other foreign country?
Help our own first.
Stop giving away our money to other countries for free.
Why is it - When Americans try to get help its either fraud
or they want to take away your house ?
But its ok to send over billions and billions to some other country,
no questions asked.
Wake up people, you complain about tax dollars helping our own,
but say nothing when giving away all that money to other countries.
The government owes us much more and should not take away
our house to give us benefits.
If they can send Billions to other countries with no questions asked,
They should be able to give Billions out to Americans with no questions asked
after all We are the ones who pay for it, so why shouldn't we also
benefit from it? The Government Owes Us !

Run for political office or move to another country. When your state budget funded by your state tax dollars is soon to reach 67% of all of it going to pay for nurising home care for Medicaid, mainly by elders who have spent down, there's soon to be a crisis. Please do fix this problem for America and remember the health care crisis coming up for dementia and Alzheimer's for the baby boomers who are reaching retirement that will be covered by Medicare.

While you're at it, would you please solve another problem and build new jails. Now that there's a new law passed here for sexual predators on children, I want a place for them to be put in prison without having other prisoners released into the public. There's 6,000 registered sexual predators just in my county alone. That doesn't even count unregistered sexual predators.

 

[sixpack]

Something is always wrong

No matter how you look at it, there is always something wrong.

It would be nice if we did not have to worry about putting our loved ones in a nursing home. It would be nice if all their savings and trying to do things right financially did not come to at the end of their life having to give it to a nursing home. I guess that is what elder law is for, but it still stinks. It would be nice that those who care for them, didn't have to suffer so much emotionally as well as finacially, but we do and because we love them and believe that we are doing what's best for them, we do suffer with it. Not everyone thinks about that. I don't want to be rich, but just not have to feel squeezed in caring for them, then having to also worry so much about how to pay all the bills for myself and them. Nothing is right the way this is set up.
I took care of my grandparents and worked and took care of my daughter. It would have been nice to afford to care for them better. I did not want them in a nursing home. It would have been nice to spend my stepfathers last year with him in my home, or his...caring for what his needs where and not having to worry so much about how to do that financially. So, if I could have gotten
a fraction of what nursing home got...I could have done so. Nursing homes should be paid and are already understaffed. It would be nice to know that if I had to go to one, I would get the best care that my money would offer. I don't have that option. What little money I will have left I will make sure my daughter gets because first, I want to make sure I can do the most for her when she has to see me in one and two, it will be so little that it will hardley touch one monthly bill at the nursing home.

I would like to fix these issues and do my best when it's time to vote and I speak up when I need to, but since I cannot fix the huge problem before I die...my little monies will not be given to the state....it will go as a gift to my daughter who will most likely need it for some good reason. Everything is so hard these days on everyone. I would like to know that I have done something that would make it just a little better for her some how.

That is not hard to understand. Hopefully, I will die suddenly and not have to burden her too much.

If taking care of someone you need to know how to do all this financial stuff, that is not a crime to ask. Perhaps the "elder law atty" can only do this. Please do not argue with someone, I know how hard these decisions are to make and I did not always ask good questions. The burdens are many and not just financial ones. Unfortunately, things are not set up as we all would like them to be and so, sometimes there are ways to help that. Not always the best way though. Would like not to have to do things is such a way, and do not want the burden on tax payers either. But, I would like to know that my tax money goes to places of importance...what ever that is. We do not always have that control....would be nice though.

Would be nice

I would have used any money from anywhere if I could have given my mother what she needed and to be alive. To give her what she deserved. I would have stayed with her to do it. NOt everyone can handle that. It wears you down to care for someone 24/7, but I would of liked to have the chance.

My daughter was a victum of assualt. The police could not help me, so I did all the leg work and paper work. I came to haults everywhere, so I had to ask questions that some people did not like. I am the one who did the work, no tax payers money was spent on helping my daughter. I saved oodles of money for the tax payers by helping my grandparents and parents by doing some of the work myself. Because I wanted to...I love them and respected them. Didn't think about the taxpayers then.

Would be nice.

 

[BlondiePB]

No matter how you look at it, there is always something wrong.

It would be nice if we did not have to worry about putting our loved ones in a nursing home. It would be nice if all their savings and trying to do things right financially did not come to at the end of their life having to give it to a nursing home. I guess that is what elder law is for, but it still stinks. It would be nice that those who care for them, didn't have to suffer so much emotionally as well as finacially, but we do and because we love them and believe that we are doing what's best for them, we do suffer with it. Not everyone thinks about that. I don't want to be rich, but just not have to feel squeezed in caring for them, then having to also worry so much about how to pay all the bills for myself and them. Nothing is right the way this is set up.
I took care of my grandparents and worked and took care of my daughter. It would have been nice to afford to care for them better. I did not want them in a nursing home. It would have been nice to spend my stepfathers last year with him in my home, or his...caring for what his needs where and not having to worry so much about how to do that financially. So, if I could have gotten
a fraction of what nursing home got...I could have done so. Nursing homes should be paid and are already understaffed. It would be nice to know that if I had to go to one, I would get the best care that my money would offer. I don't have that option. What little money I will have left I will make sure my daughter gets because first, I want to make sure I can do the most for her when she has to see me in one and two, it will be so little that it will hardley touch one monthly bill at the nursing home.

I would like to fix these issues and do my best when it's time to vote and I speak up when I need to, but since I cannot fix the huge problem before I die...my little monies will not be given to the state....it will go as a gift to my daughter who will most likely need it for some good reason. Everything is so hard these days on everyone. I would like to know that I have done something that would make it just a little better for her some how.

That is not hard to understand. Hopefully, I will die suddenly and not have to burden her too much.

If taking care of someone you need to know how to do all this financial stuff, that is not a crime to ask. Perhaps the "elder law atty" can only do this. Please do not argue with someone, I know how hard these decisions are to make and I did not always ask good questions. The burdens are many and not just financial ones. Unfortunately, things are not set up as we all would like them to be and so, sometimes there are ways to help that. Not always the best way though. Would like not to have to do things is such a way, and do not want the burden on tax payers either. But, I would like to know that my tax money goes to places of importance...what ever that is. We do not always have that control....would be nice though.

Would be nice

I would have used any money from anywhere if I could have given my mother what she needed and to be alive. To give her what she deserved. I would have stayed with her to do it. NOt everyone can handle that. It wears you down to care for someone 24/7, but I would of liked to have the chance.

My daughter was a victum of assualt. The police could not help me, so I did all the leg work and paper work. I came to haults everywhere, so I had to ask questions that some people did not like. I am the one who did the work, no tax payers money was spent on helping my daughter. I saved oodles of money for the tax payers by helping my grandparents and parents by doing some of the work myself. Because I wanted to...I love them and respected them. Didn't think about the taxpayers then.

Would be nice.

Suffice to say, sixpack, I do enjoy political debates and when it comes to choosing sides, I'm one of the first ones chosen by both sides and can sucessfully debate both sides. This forum is not for these types of debates, but there are forums that do so.

People need to take out long term care policies so that they do not burden the taxpayers. I understand perfectly what it takes to care for ill elders and am "on call" 24/7. Those phone calls in the wee hours of the morning when one is sent to the hospital are not pleasant, but I must go.

Should the time come for my mother to be placed and her property must be sold, yes I'll sell her property, my "potential" inheritance, for her care. Though she has willed her property to me and wants me to have it, I will ensure that her needs come first.

Lastly, I do hope the person who assaulted your daughter faced the full wrath of the justice system and went to prison. Just today, it was announced that there is now a National Sex Offender Registry. Not all states are on it though. Check your state and make sure your state is on it. If not, make some "noise" about it. We need people to light our legislators fires about severe punishment for these offenders.

The new law passed here was a mandatory 25 year sentence for the first conviction of sexual battery on a child 12 and under (age should be higher) and the second offense is life. There's only 10 states with such severe penalties.

Anyway, take care of your probate issues. It is best to do follow up questions on the same thread to keep your situation's history together rather than keep starting new threads.

 

[sixpack]

I think the debate started before I came in

Yes and yes and yes...My point on the above was simply to state that there there did seem to be a debate....and although the question seemed..."off" to some, it was a good question most likely to someone who is already a stressed caregiver. You do make a good debater, and would love to have you on my side in that situation. I took no offense to your situation or the asker of the question. Trying to point to what is important. I ask questions because I do need to do a lot of the work myself and there seemed in all some pretty good people here willing to give their time to answer those. Even under their own stressful situations.

Oh, yes...keeping the probate threads..sorry, thought my questions were either not clear enough or too old. Things did change some as well. Next time I will definately watch that, thanks!

Police were not helpful and they seemed already sunk under from too many cases. Her word against them. Had to keep going and before I could finish he fled to another country. We are just trying to mend here now. I will keep screaming if that is what it takes...thanks blondie!