cost of assisted living

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really freaking me out. Neither of my parents are elderly yet (both in their sixties), but neither has much money, and I can pretty much guarantee they don't have anything saved for assisted living/nursing home care. My husband and I make a moderate salary, but there is little left over each month - we definitely don't have enough saved to pay for either of them to be in any kind of facility.

So what to people do???? Basically, if you're poor, you can go into a medicare based facility? Are all of those awful?

This is so depressing to think about.

Again, Medicare DOES NOT cover long term, indefinite care or assisted living care. http://www.webmd.com/medicare/medicare-and-long-term-care

It sucks.

Correct. Medicare is MEDICAL care.

If you are poor, you will live with family, or be homeless.

This is NOT true! Medicaid will pay for nursing home care. Most nursing homes, including county and for-profit facilities, accept Medicaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really freaking me out. Neither of my parents are elderly yet (both in their sixties), but neither has much money, and I can pretty much guarantee they don't have anything saved for assisted living/nursing home care. My husband and I make a moderate salary, but there is little left over each month - we definitely don't have enough saved to pay for either of them to be in any kind of facility.

So what to people do???? Basically, if you're poor, you can go into a medicare based facility? Are all of those awful?

This is so depressing to think about.

Again, Medicare DOES NOT cover long term, indefinite care or assisted living care. http://www.webmd.com/medicare/medicare-and-long-term-care

It sucks.

Correct. Medicare is MEDICAL care.

If you are poor, you will live with family, or be homeless.

This is NOT true! Medicaid will pay for nursing home care. Most nursing homes, including county and for-profit facilities, accept Medicaid.

Yes, Medicaid will pay for nursing home care for the destitute, assuming that nursing home care is needed for medical reasons (a nursing home is a medical facility). If nursing home care is not needed, then Medicaid will not pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really freaking me out. Neither of my parents are elderly yet (both in their sixties), but neither has much money, and I can pretty much guarantee they don't have anything saved for assisted living/nursing home care. My husband and I make a moderate salary, but there is little left over each month - we definitely don't have enough saved to pay for either of them to be in any kind of facility.

So what to people do???? Basically, if you're poor, you can go into a medicare based facility? Are all of those awful?

This is so depressing to think about.

Again, Medicare DOES NOT cover long term, indefinite care or assisted living care. http://www.webmd.com/medicare/medicare-and-long-term-care

It sucks.

Correct. Medicare is MEDICAL care.

If you are poor, you will live with family, or be homeless.

This is NOT true! Medicaid will pay for nursing home care. Most nursing homes, including county and for-profit facilities, accept Medicaid.

Yes, Medicaid will pay for nursing home care for the destitute, assuming that nursing home care is needed for medical reasons (a nursing home is a medical facility). If nursing home care is not needed, then Medicaid will not pay.

Most 80 & 90 year olds have some qualifying condition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really freaking me out. Neither of my parents are elderly yet (both in their sixties), but neither has much money, and I can pretty much guarantee they don't have anything saved for assisted living/nursing home care. My husband and I make a moderate salary, but there is little left over each month - we definitely don't have enough saved to pay for either of them to be in any kind of facility.

So what to people do???? Basically, if you're poor, you can go into a medicare based facility? Are all of those awful?

This is so depressing to think about.

Again, Medicare DOES NOT cover long term, indefinite care or assisted living care. http://www.webmd.com/medicare/medicare-and-long-term-care

It sucks.

Correct. Medicare is MEDICAL care.

If you are poor, you will live with family, or be homeless.

This is NOT true! Medicaid will pay for nursing home care. Most nursing homes, including county and for-profit facilities, accept Medicaid.

Yes, Medicaid will pay for nursing home care for the destitute, assuming that nursing home care is needed for medical reasons (a nursing home is a medical facility). If nursing home care is not needed, then Medicaid will not pay.

Most 80 & 90 year olds have some qualifying condition.

That's a very broad statement, especially about 80yos - there is a vast difference between an 80yo and a 90yo.

There's no way e.g. that my 80yo MIL would qualify.

[Anonymous]

Okay, 13:26, you win. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, 13:26, you win. Sigh.

I'm not trying to "win" anything. I'm just laying out the ugly facts.

I strongly recommend that everyone with aging parents read, When the Time Comes, by Paula Span. I wish I had read it five years ago. (Based on unfortunate, sad experience, I could have written it now.)

[Anonymous]

What are these medicaid-supported places like? Truly miserable, or just a little shabby?

[Anonymous]

It is true that there is a big difference between 80 and 90, at least for most folks. My grandmother was fit, living on her own, cooking her own food, cleaning her own apartment at 80. She feel at age 92 while living alone and broke a collar bone and things were never the same. She first lived with my parents and then after a fast declined moved into a nursing facility where she died six months later.

I also know people who got very very ill in their 60's and required nursing home care. You just never know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are these medicaid-supported places like? Truly miserable, or just a little shabby?

A friend took her DH to a medicaid/VA paid facility in DC and it was awful. Three people in one room, basement facilities. You go there to die. It is very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom had 12-hour, in-home care for my father. Over 6 years, it cost her close to $1m.

Anonymous wrote:I think it's like $5K a month. They will do an evaluation periodically and if they decide he needs more care they will raise the fees accordingly.

It would be a lot less expensive to hire a home health assistant to come by when needed to help with hygiene care, etc. If you all work full time you can have Meals on Wheels deliver food for him during the day.

He may be happier around family and eating home cooked food. On the other hand some seniors want their independence and don't want to be a burden so he may be happier in an assisted living condo.

Yep - just in care

same boat my mother was in
Then you add in items - diapers, hospital bed, medicine, trips to the ER, etc. - and it's way over $1m.

[Anonymous]

To the woman squabbling above and re: that good article...a nursing home is far different than assisted living or memory care. A nursing home is the last stop and the patients are not active.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the woman squabbling above and re: that good article...a nursing home is far different than assisted living or memory care. A nursing home is the last stop and the patients are not active.

Who is squabbling?

I don't know what post(s) you are referring to or what you are talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the woman squabbling above and re: that good article...a nursing home is far different than assisted living or memory care. A nursing home is the last stop and the patients are not active.

They're all terrible.

If you are willing to allow underpaid, unskilled people to watch your loved ones, then good luck.

We looked at different places - TOP DOLLAR. The places smelled. The workers were careless. Residents were ignored. We finally decided to keep Dad home b/c we couldn't stand the thought of leaving him in those environments. My friend did the same thing. She hired two people to take shifts around the clock to care for her aging and sick parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really freaking me out. Neither of my parents are elderly yet (both in their sixties), but neither has much money, and I can pretty much guarantee they don't have anything saved for assisted living/nursing home care. My husband and I make a moderate salary, but there is little left over each month - we definitely don't have enough saved to pay for either of them to be in any kind of facility.

So what to people do???? Basically, if you're poor, you can go into a medicare based facility? Are all of those awful?

This is so depressing to think about.

Again, Medicare DOES NOT cover long term, indefinite care or assisted living care. http://www.webmd.com/medicare/medicare-and-long-term-care

It sucks.

Correct. Medicare is MEDICAL care.

If you are poor, you will live with family, or be homeless.

This is NOT true! Medicaid will pay for nursing home care. Most nursing homes, including county and for-profit facilities, accept Medicaid.

Yes, Medicaid will pay for nursing home care for the destitute, assuming that nursing home care is needed for medical reasons (a nursing home is a medical facility). If nursing home care is not needed, then Medicaid will not pay.

Most 80 & 90 year olds have some qualifying condition.

That's a very broad statement, especially about 80yos - there is a vast difference between an 80yo and a 90yo.

There's no way e.g. that my 80yo MIL would qualify.

What is your point then? If your 80 year old grandma wouuldn't qualify because she's too healthy wouldn't that mean she doesn't need nursing care anyways?

[Anonymous]

People are forgetting about the sad cases of people who suffer from traumatic brain injuries from strokes or accidents much earlier in life. They will require care sometimes for 40+ years.