what happens to the elderly ?

[loveautumn]

I'm a little confused...does she still own her home or is she renting?

[Phoenix lady]

The assisted living housing should have a social worker that could assist you. THey know the in's and out's of all of these issues w/the elderly pretty well.

[catfancier]

If I am understanding the OP post correctly, your aunt is in assisted living (i.e. private pay) but the money is about gone to keep paying the fees there.

I believe your only option now is to get her on nursing-home Medicaid.
Medicaid will not pay for the assisted-living facility; you need to research nursing homes in the area that will take the Medicaid payment and have a Medicaid bed available.

As another poster said, you simply cannot do anymore what your aunt "prefers." The assisted living facility social worker should be able to help you in this transfer to an NH and all the paperwork. Note I said "should"...but give her/him your first shot. Or else get in touch with the nearest Health and Human Services office to speak to the Medicaid representative.

[yukiko11]

She is 87. If you can let her move in with you or another relative, SS and Medicare will provide visiting caretakers. I know that is a burden, but you will be rewarded in the future for your kindness.

[MotleyCrew]

My friend just went through this with her mom who had just a little SS income and no assets at all. If your aunt was married to a veteran of a F.war, then she may be entitled to the difference in the nursing home. I believe my friend's mom collected $900 a month for a while before passing. Best of luck. Pays to be either filthy rich or dirt poor in this country.

[PeachyMJ]

If she is in a nursing home/assisted living, etc., you should talk to the social services representative. If she was married to a veteran, she may be eligible for Assistance and Aid from the VA. Maybe you should talk to an elder law attorney. They generally will give you a free consultation and can give you much advice. Also, most areas have Council for the Againg agencies (some are called different names).

Bless you for caring for your aunt. Hope you can find some help.

[christina0001]

She is living in an assisted living facility? If so, you need to talk to the social service worker there. Do they accept Medicaid to pay her rent? Do they have a Medicaid opening available? In my experience, most ALs accept Medicaid but do not have any Medicaid openings, which means unless someone else is willing to pay the rent, the person needs to move out.
If your aunt is able to live with limited assistance, she may be able to move into subsidized housing. The rent is usually only 1/3 of the person's income. Utilities are usually pretty low, too.
If she needs assistance with her personal care and cannot live alone safely, she may need to go to a nursing home. Just like with assisted living, you would need to find a nursing home that accepts Medicaid, and has an opening for a Medicaid-paying patient.
For more assistance, you can call your aunt's local area agency on aging. You can find the number here: Eldercare.gov You might also want to ask about programs to help lower her prescription medication costs.
Best of luck.

[PeachyMJ]

I have found that very few Assisted Living Facilities will accept Medicaid. They are mostly private pay. Or, at least that is the way it works in our small town. My in-laws will never qualify for Medicaid (not bragging) but will have to pay out of pocket until the need is not longer there. We are grateful that they managed their money well and can handle the expenses.