cost of assisted living

[Anonymous]

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

Most all nursing homes will accept Medicare and Medicaid, long term care insurance, and direct payment from personal funds. My grandmother stayed in a for-profit nursing home where she paid out-of-pocket and later, Medicaid picked up the bill. Nursing homes are regulated by the Board of Health, Medicare, and numerous other agencies. Violations, ratings, and reports are public and can be found online.

[Anonymous]

To the people squabbling over the qualifying medical conditions and asset levels for Medicaid--- it is hard to qualify.

In Virginia, even with an 80-90 year old with serious medical conditions and advanced dementia, there is a waiting list (after the spend down the assets requirement).

I know several people who are paying out of pocket for a parent's care -siblings chipping in every month- due to not meeting the exact requirements for Medicaid.

That being said, it is an enormous difference between the cost of Assisted Living in this expensive area, and in a lower cost-of-living area.

Just think of it- the real estate here, and the cost of living here - why would ANYONE take a job as an assisted living caretaker and pay their family's cost of living here, unless they were compensated commeasurately?? So while Memory Care at Sunrise in McLean or Arlington may run you $8-10K per month, there are perfectly nice assisted livings in the Blue Ridge, for much less expensive. (The sad part is, you wouldn't be able to see your parent, during probably the loneliest and most difficult part of life.)

[Anonymous]

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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?

Correct, but if she is frail and impoverished, and not in need of nursing care, her options are very limited.