Browse Questions About Housing for Seniors - Page 1

How can I get help with housing?

Question - Hi This funny internet world is a strange beast. I found your post a year after it posted and am sitting here in the hospital with my mother-in-law, wondering how you are doing now. She is entering a new world of chronic care and I find myself fighting the entire medical world and family perceptions that, 'Doctors know everything...

2 Community Answers

When is it time for a nursing home?

Question - Your question raises one of the most challenging decisions caregivers face, so thanks for posting it. While there is no absolute right time to place a parent in a nursing home below are some guidelines.

1 Expert Answer

How do I convince the kids it's time for a nursing home?

Question - Dear Pamalakay: It's sad to hear about your struggle, though your problem is not uncommon. I just wanted to give you some other ideas to consider when trying to choose a nursing home. First, you can let go of the guilt. It is appropriate to move your mother in law to a nursing home when the burden of caring for her is too much...

2 Expert Answers, 18 Community Answers

How do you help someone accept assisted living?

Question - Adjusting to assisted living is almost always a process that takes time. As a family member or close friend, your response to questions about that process, depends on the circumstances. If your loved one has been moved to assisted living because they have dementia and they are too confused or dangerous to be living at home, the response takes finesse...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Is her new medicine really a good idea?

Question - My mother has dementia and seizures. She is taking Dilantin and Kepra for the seizures, 300 mg. a day of Dilantin and 500mg Kepra. Today the doctor at the nursing home prescribed Seroquel. She is already unsteady on her feet and falls frequently. I'm worried that this new drug will make it worse. I don't know why he prescribed the drug...

What are the most important factors in evaluating a nursing home?

Question - There are many things to consider when choosing a nursing home for your parent. Here are some of the key questions to get you started as you make this important decision.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Can you lose a house to a nursing home?

Question - Be sure to set all Life insurance into a Living trust with her favorite mortuary, I has to sell and turn over the funds to the nursing home of my family members car and home. I also had to liquidate all certificates of deposit and other assets. A big hug to you vj6464. May the Lord bless you.

2 Community Answers

Am I responsible for my father's nursing home bills?

Question - The IRS has been known at times to work in strange and confusing ways -- and this seems to be one of them.

1 Expert Answer

Who is responsible for my brother, who has severe dementia, if the nursing home asks him to leave?

Question - There is no law that specifies that a particular person must be responsible for taking care of another -- and it sounds like a fairly onerous task in the case of your brother. So while you surely did much soul-searching to reach the decision you did, you are wise to recognize and admit when you are no longer the best fit for the job...

1 Expert Answer

Can Medicaid take your house, even a jointly-owned home, to pay for long-term care?

Question - Your father's interest in the house won't count against him should he need to enter a nursing home, because a person's primary residence is exempt when Medicaid counts a person's assets in determining eligibility. Upon his death, however, if the house remains partly in his name, Medicaid may...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Is there a time limit on making a revocable trust before entering a nursing home?

Question - Medicaid pays for over half of the nation's nursing home costs. To be eligible for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, a person must have very low income and assets. Some people try to give away or hide their assets before applying for Medicaid, hoping by that strategy to keep their savings in their family but still have Medicaid pay for long-term care...

1 Expert Answer

When I visit my Alzheimer's-suffering wife at the nursing home, she gets very upset as I leave; Is there anything I can do?

Question - This must be so heart-breaking for you. Even though you recognize this placement as being the most appropriate caregiving solution, I'm sure you must be devastated at each visit when you hear her plea to leave with you. The difference between your emotional pain and that of your wife is that it remains...

1 Expert Answer, 13 Community Answers

How do I evaluate a nursing home for my parent?

Question - the quality of the nursing care and personal care you receive

1 Community Answer

Should we try to move my mother-in-law to a new nursing home?

Question - My mother-in-law lived with us until she stopped eating and wanted to be closer to her church. She was then taken to the doctor, and then admitted to a nursing home. From there she went into board and care, where she stopped eating again and is now in a nursing home she hates. Her health is really bad and hospice has been called in...

Are there any housing options for chronic alcoholics?

Question - Are there any housing options for chronic alcoholics?

Do you have any tips for moving my parente out of a nursing home back to a home?

Question - You haven't said how ill your parent is or what kind of care he/she will need coming home. Nursing homes usually have a social worker who will work with you to make a discharge plan before your parent leaves. Ask for help as this service is a great way to line up resources in advance and get a professional...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

My mom asked to be moved to assisted living, and now she is miserable. What can I do?

Question - Most of us are not prepared for the rapid deterioration that aging parents often experience when they leave their primary residence. Even if they pre-approve the move, there Is no guarantee that, once it happens, they won't have a powerful negative reaction...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Does Medicaid Pay for Assisted Living?

Question - In most but not all states, there are special Medicaid programs that can help pay some of the costs of an assisted-living facility. Although assisted living is not part of basic Medicaid coverage, Medicaid now recognizes that for many people it's a better and less expensive alternative than a nursing home...

FAQ

1 Expert Answer

How have you handled persuading your loved one to remain in the nursing home when he or she unreasonably thinks he or she is ready to go home?

Question - A study published in early 2008 by the University of Southern California suggests that nearly 50% of nursing residents interviewed believe they could leave their care setting for a more independent option. Medical professionals who reviewed their cases did not agree...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Is it time to consider assisted living for my elderly mother?

Question - Thanks for writing. What makes this situation so distressing is the change. Sometimes your mother is fine. Sometimes she is uncontrollable. That type of switching back and forth keeps everyone off balance.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Would a nursing home be better than hospice care?

Question - You sound as though you are really torn about the best way to care for your mother. Your question really comes down to Care Home vs. Nursing Home in your mother's case. So, let's try and figure this out. Your mother would be eligible for additional help in the Care Home through hospice, as that would be paid for under Medicare...

1 Expert Answer

If my mother passes away before her Medicaid approval changes from "pending" to "approved", will they still for previously accrued nursing home expenses?

Question - Yes, once someone is approved for Medicaid coverage, that coverage may be retroactive not only back to the date of application but even to the three months prior to application. How far back the retroactive coverage goes, though, depends on during how much of that retroactive period the applicant would have been eligible for Medicaid...

1 Expert Answer

Will we have to pay out of pocket costs for nursing home care for my grandmother who has Alzheimers?

Question - Not necessarily. It's true that Medicare nursing home coverage is very limited. It pays for only a certain amount of the cost of nursing home care, for only a limited time, and only following a period of hospitalization.

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

How can I find a disability-ready house in my area?

Question - I am a disabed 55yearold woman, with a 76 year old husband who is thinking about moving. I am waiting for my section 8 paper that tells me when I can move. Do you know of any house's that are disability- ready and how do I find one in my area?

How can I tell if mother is getting proper care in her nursing facility?

Question - Quality measures are certainly an important aspect of evaluating nursing home performance, but it's equally important to be actively involved in your loved one's care. Attending care conferences is a great way to see how the nursing home is handling your loved one's specific needs...

2 Expert Answers, 1 Community Answer

Can my mom try out an assisted-living home before she commits to it?

Question - Fortunately many assisted living facilities offer a temporary-stay option called a "respite" as a way for your mom to test the waters and see if she's comfortable in her new environment before getting in too deep financially. Under this scenario, your mother pays the usual monthly fee (for rent and services...

1 Expert Answer

Does the Department of Veterans Affairs seek reimbursement for a veteran's nursing home care?

Question - The VA won't seek reimbursement from your father's estate for VA-sponsored nursing home care. Whether the state seeks reimbursement is more complicated. If your father lives in a private or state-run nursing facility, rather than in one actually operated by the VA, there may be costs in addition to what the VA pays...

1 Expert Answer

Should I take my 80-something parents with me to check out assisted living facilities for them or go alone?

Question - Both. Generally speaking, the best strategy is first to tour all the facilities you're interested in by yourself. Then, when you have two in mind that you think are the best, take your parents along to visit just those two. That way, you don't overwhelm them, which can easily happen if they're barraged with too many choices...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

When should Mom move in to a nursing home?

Question - You sound like you need a great deal of support and caretaker information. I also have been involved in caring for my mom, and a month ago decided to start looking for alternative housing for her. I started to feel overwhelmed with no relief, and depression started again. There is so much we can do and provide...

1 Community Answer

Can you be evicted from a long term care facility?

Question - This is a great question. If your loved one resides in an assisted living or independent apartment and becomes unable to pay the bill, and if family cannot step in to cover the cost, he or she will be asked to leave. If he or she does not leave, the facility may begin the eviction process.

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

What are my parent's housing options if my mother does not pass a cognitive screening test?

Question - Since other factors such as stress or depression may cause symptoms of memory loss it is important that your mother makes time for the assessment. Your family needs to understand both her current and future health care requirements in order to make the best and most cost-effective choice for long term housing and care...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Should I put my parent in a nursing home?

Question - If the care of an elder is left to one person, it can easily become overwhelming. The good news is, there are abundant resources to help.

1 Expert Answer, 19 Community Answers

I am looking for an assisted living home for my mother in...

Question - You can begin with a call or a visit to your mother’s local Chamber of Commerce or Area Agency on Aging, or you call your local Long Term Care Ombudsman, whom you can find via the locator on the National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center website. They Ombudsman should have a list of all the l local communities...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

What is the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?

Question - An assisted living community provides communal living, often with planned activities, housekeeping and laundry, transportation, meals, exercise and wellness programs, opportunities to socialize with other residents, and assistance with activities of daily living...

1 Expert Answer, 8 Community Answers

How can we help my mother who is struggling with loneliness in the assisted living facility?

Question - You didn't say whether or not you've approached facility administrators to discuss your concerns about your mother, but if you haven't, I think you should do so immediately. They should be doing more to keep your mother engaged than simply shuttling her to the bingo hall -- particularly if she has no interest in bingo...

1 Expert Answer

Can my half-brother keep me from seeing my mother, who is in a nursing home?

Question - I'm assuming you've already had the hard conversation -- very tightly focused on what's best for your mother -- with the half-brother who is hell-bent on blocking your access to her. If not, try it. You may be able to find out specifics about his concerns that will help you all be able to pull together...

1 Expert Answer, 22 Community Answers

How can we make visits to the nursing home easier on us all?

Question - The best advice I can offer you is to give it time. Transitions are tough for all involved. The decision to place a family member in a nursing home is one of the most difficult – particularly if the older adult prefers to remain at home. Often it takes time to accept that there was no other way (lologistically...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Does Medicare pay for assisted living care?

Question - No, Medicare doesn't pay at all for assisted living. Medicare coverage for long-term care of any sort is very limited, covering only short-term stays in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility while someone recovers from an illness, injury, or surgery...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

What is my mother's liability to Medicare if she enters a nursing home?

Question - First, it seems that you're confusing Medicare with Medicaid in your question. It's Medicaid (not Medicare) that would cover her nursing home bills and could seek repayment out of the value of her house after she dies. But if the loan was already made and secured by the house's equity before...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Will Medicare assisted living cover facility costs?

Question - The only non-hospital inpatient care Medicare pays for is a very limited amount of skilled nursing facility care while recovering from an illness or injury following a hospital stay. It doesn't cover any of the cost of residence in an assisted living facility.

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Am I liable for Mom's nursing home costs?

Question - Neither you nor your sibling is required to sign to become financially responsible for your mother’s care—and it may even be illegal for the nursing home to require it. It’s time to slow down and carefully read the document before picking up a pen.

1 Expert Answer

My Father never saw the need to protect the homeplace...

Question - Yes, there is a way for you and your father to protect the home from Medicaid's usual right to reimbursement for the cost of nursing home care. There is a special Medicaid rule that allows your father to transfer title of the home to you and places the home outside Medicaid's right to recover costs...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

How can convince dad to go to a nursing home?

Question - The way I got my dad into the nursing home is I waited until he got hurt and took him to the ER by ambulance and explained to the doctor how my dad was behaving. It actually took the doctor talking to him to make him go into the home. He told dad that he wasnt able to live at home any longer alone...

10 Community Answers

Is a memory care unit or nursing home better?

Question - I agree with Sunny Wonders.. read Validation Techniques for Dementia Care by Naomi Feil. My mother is now in what I think is the beginning of late-stage dementia/alzheimers. My family has found that Mom is less depressed, less accusatory, less verbally combative when we use this technique, rather than the "Reality Therapy" that is broadly used...

27 Community Answers

How do I move her to assisted living?

Question - Moving someone with dementia is difficult, but often necessary for their health and well-being. There are some excellent dementia specific assisted living facilities where the staff is trained to work with persons with dementia. The activities and generally the layout for the facilities are focused on the needs and behaviors of persons with dementia...

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

My parents are divided on assisted living - what do we do?

Question - This is a tough one; I don’t envy your position here. Often when a person refuses a move to an assisted living it’s based on a strong desire to remain in his/her home and maintain the lifestyle he/she has grown accustomed to, mixed in with some fear of the u...

1 Expert Answer

Should we put mom into a nursing home?

Question - My mother had three strokes fifteen years ago. She had 24/7 caregivers for most of that time. Due to financial problems, I am now her sole caregiver, she lives with my husband and myself. We tried two months with a sister in another state and that didn't work out. This may sound cold, but are there any guidelines as to when she should enter a nursing home...

How do my sister and I come to an agreement about whether my parents should move to an assisted living facility?

Question - The struggle between siblings over their aging parents never comes down to right or wrong. It always involves a clash of agendas that quickly degenerates into a battle of wills. In most cases, both adult children have a valid point of view about how to deal with their aging parents. In my experience, the best place to start is by talking with your parents...

1 Expert Answer, 11 Community Answers

How can I find a private group home?

Question - You are absolutely right. Small private group homes are tough to locate. For one, they don't have the marketing budgets of the big places which is why you're not likely to find them in the usual places.

1 Expert Answer

Can Alzheimer's symptoms lessen if brought back to a familiar setting?

Question - My 74 year old Dad has Alzheimer's. He was being cared for in his apartment by my brother, me, a health aid and his girlfriend -- all on a rotating basis. Recently, we moved him to an assisted living dementia unit where he declined in one week to not being able to walk or feed himself very well...

How do we handle moving day into an Alzheimer's facility?

Question - We are in the process of moving our mother/mother-in-law into a Alzheimer's facility. My husband is ademant he does not want to do this but can you guide us as to who should be involved. We are going to have lunch there and then just take her to her room. We aren't sure of the easiest way to do this...

What is the process for getting a loved one placed in a care home?

Question - The process of moving a person with dementia to a care home is one that's often left to the family or the person who has durable power of attorney (DPOA). If an older adult with cognitive impairment has neither family nor a DPOA, the state would step in and appoint a guardian to make decisions about care...

1 Expert Answer

Is there housing that matches my mother's independent needs?

Question - Your question is about housing for an independent person. The one thing you did not mention is if your mother can walk. It sounds like a 6 and under board and care would be the best place for her if she can walk or get around by herself. There are hud housing board and cares. Call the Ombudsmen to get a list of the places in your area...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

My aunt is in Sunrise Assisted Living/Memory Care Unit in...

Question - You should ask this directly to the Director of Nursing and the Executive Director at the facility.

1 Community Answer

Will leaving one nursing home affect Medicaid eligibility for a new nursing home?

Question - My father left a nursing home because he did not like it there but he wants to go to another one. Since he now is living in another state he has to apply for Medicaid benefits again. Will leaving the old nursing home prevent him from getting Medicaid...

Is there temporary financial assistance for assisted living until Grandma sells her house?

Question - There are not very many options when it comes to temporary assisted living financial assistance. You mention one of them, ElderLife Financial Services (www.elderlifefinancial.com) . ElderLife offers an interest only “bridge loan” to augment your income so you can pay to move into and remain at the fhe facility until your house sells...

1 Expert Answer

My mother can no longer pay off her debts. What do we do?

Question - I am assuming that your mother has no assets from which she can pay her credit card debt. It would be helpful to know the amount of the credit card debt, but regardless, you can attempt to negotiate with the credit card company to pay off the debt with a small lump sum if you are able to come up with an amount to do so...

1 Expert Answer

If Mom is ineligible for Medicaid, but has no assets, who pays for the nursing home?

Question - My mother-in-law has been in a nursing home and has almost run out of money to pay. We are looking at filing for Medicaid, but what happens if mMdicaid is denied because of money given away. Does the nursing home sue us or what happens during the ineligible period of time?

How long does it take to get a veteran into a veteran's nursing home?

Question - It is difficult to assign an average or usual length of time for this process. The time it takes to get a Veteran into a Veterans Nursing Home varies vastly from state to state.

1 Expert Answer

Is there a law that limits how many residents a Certified Nurse Assistant can care for?

Question - I do not know of a law that specifically limits the number of residents a CNA can have at any one time. I don't claim expertise on that point. The law does give some guidance on how many hours per day of nursing care a nursing home resident must receive...

1 Expert Answer, 5 Community Answers

Medicare is saying there is a conflict of interest with my doctors. What does this mean?

Question - While I am being treated for cancer away from home, my husband and I are living in a assistant living facility.

How do we begin the process of placing my father, who has Alzheimer's, into a facility?

Question - There comes a time when placing a person with Alzheimer’s in a facility is the right solution for everyone. A good care home will give your loved one a circle of peers and stimulation appropriate to his mental state; you can then pursue your life and give your loved one undivided, loving attention w when you visit...

1 Expert Answer

How do I deal with a prejudice mother living in a diverse assisted living facility?

Question - My mother is very prejudiced and will have to live in a very diverse assisted living community and will, most likely, have a roommate she is prejudiced against. She has always been this way, but I believe she has gotten worse as she as gotten older, and I am both angry at her and concerned for the people she mistreats...

Assisted Living facility seems to be failing; should we try to find another Medicaid facility now?

Question - My Mother has Dementia and went into an Assisted Living Facility in April. She is doing very good and adapted really well. I am concerned about the facility she is in. I have exhausted all her income paying for her care. In Mississippi we have Medicaid Waiver to help pay but she is on a waiting list...

Will Mom be self-pay after she sells her house?

Question - Medicaid can pay the full cost of long-term residence in a nursing home for someone who has low income and few assets other than their own home. The rules about Medicaid nursing home eligibility and owning a house can be a bit tricky. In most states, a single or widowed person can enter a nursing home...

1 Expert Answer

Where do we put her when Medicare runs out and Medicaid isn't yet available?

Question - Whether you are applying for Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) coverage of your wife's medical care, or Medicaid coverage for home care, or Medicaid coverage of her stay in a nursing home, that coverage can be retroactive not only to the date she applied but even up to three months prior to filing the application...

1 Expert Answer

How to best coordinate caring for dad between seven siblings?

Question - First off I have to commend you. Managing the care of a parent among several siblings is never easy and I’m contacted quite often by siblings who can’t get along and so can’t ever get to what is best for their parent. You and your six siblings have done an incredible job of taking care of your fatur...

1 Expert Answer

Can Medicaid charge me for Mom's nursing home?

Question - No, it's not true that you'll be responsible for your mother-in-law's nursing home costs. When someone goes into a nursing home and applies for Medicaid coverage, Medicaid considers only that person's own income and assets (and that of a spouse, if living with the Medicaid applicant)...

1 Expert Answer

How much responsibility does the assisted living facility have in trying to control inappropriate sexual behavior of residents?

Question - Hi Frances. Sexual behavior in any alternative living situation such as assisted living or nursing home is very difficult to handle.

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Can an adult child keep a house from Medicaid recovery?

Question - Yes, it's possible for the son who was a caregiver to keep the house without Medicaid having a right to recover the mother's long-term care costs out of the house's value. Medicaid has a special rule to encourage adult children to live with and care for their elder parent, in the parent's home, in order to keep the parent at home as long as possible...

1 Expert Answer

If my uncle leaves my mom an inheritance, will Medicaid take it?

Question - If his Will is not signed, there is no Will to be presented to Probate unless he had a previous Will that is still in effect. If your mother were to be eligible to receive anything from her brother's estate through the laws of intestacy (if he dies without a Will and has no surviving parents, spouse...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Did we make the right decision, putting our parents in assisted living?

Question - Hi Kay. I can hear your enormous stress in your words. You have every right to feel stressed out and really need to take care of yourself first. If you aren't in the right frame of mind, no one else with you will be. Additionally, the stress you are feeling likely is stronger because your parents...

1 Expert Answer

Our stepmom wants to put Dad in a facility, but we want him to stay home. What's best?

Question - If there is a Brighton Gardens Alzheimer's/dementia specialist assisted living facility in her area you should talk with them. Residents live there on a month-to-month basis and the charges for care are based on the level of assistance the resident needs...

3 Community Answers

Does anyone have any idea of the projected number of seniors who will move into an independent or assisted living community?

Question - Does anyone have any idea of the projected number of seniors who will move into an independent or assisted living community?

Wil the VA cover Mom's assisted living?

Question - YES! However, I don't know if your father would have had to received money from the VA for a service connected disability. The VA will assign a percentage to the disability. For example, my father was 100% service connected and my mother is entitled to living assistance money...

3 Community Answers

How can I get an estimate of mom's veterans benefits?

Question - From your question, it appears that Mom could be eligible for the the VA Disability Pension, commonly referred to as the VA Benefit for Aid & Attendance, since Dad's service to our country meets the military requirement. The amount of the benefit, which is subject to income and asset testing and...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

What are the obligations of an assisted living facility if my mother was injured there?

Question - Your question about your mom's assisted living injury raises the issue of whether the facility is able to protect its residents. Legally, assisted living facilities are in a somewhat problematic position. They fill the gap between being at home, which is usually unsafe, and being in a nursing home,...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Is assisted living the correct next step if home health nurses can't get Dad to take his medications?

Question - Forgetting to take life-saving medications is a sign of cognitive decline; it is not a normal part of aging. It could be caused by depression or poor nutrition or a urinary track infection or a host of other conditions. A thorough check up by a physician who specializes in older adults is the first step...

1 Expert Answer

What health issues qualify someone for Medicaid nursing home benefits?

Question - There are no specific health conditions that qualify someone for Medicaid coverage of long-term nursing home care. Instead, Medicaid looks at whether nursing-home level care on a daily basis is "medically necessary" for the person applying for coverage...

1 Expert Answer

How can I take over the POA my now late sister held for my mother?

Question - If your mother has dementia, she does not have the ability to make a viable check. Nor can she appoint anyone as her agent under a Durable Power of Attorney because that can only be done while someone is competent. I suggest that you contact a lawyer and discuss filing with a court to be appointed...

1 Expert Answer

Is it advisable to bring Mom to my home for short visits?

Question - Dear 'sole caregiver' (and all the others caring for an adult with cognitive issues who wanted, many times, to ask this same question): Having a parent or other close family member who has difficulty living in the present means making frequent decisions that often feel counter-intuitive. Will my loved one think I am abandoning her...

1 Expert Answer

Will the houses affect their Medicaid eligibility?

Question - Medicaid law differs significantly from state to state and the Medicaid law in most states does not cover assisted living costs. I urge you to contact an experienced elder law attorney. You can find one in your area by going to the website of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

When is it time for Mom to move into an Alzheimer's unit?

Question - My heart goes out to you, because you’re not only dealing with the issues of a mother showing advancing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, you’re also dealing with aspects of her mental health and the fear that her threats of suicide are real.

1 Expert Answer

Can My Siblings and I Move a Parent With Alzheimer's out of a Nursing Home Over a Stepparent's Objections?

Question - It depends. There's a fairly straightforward legal answer if your parent completed a power of attorney for healthcare while he or she still had the mental capacity to do so. In that case, if an agent or proxy was named to direct the care, then that person is authorized to make those decisions -- including...

FAQ

1 Expert Answer

If a POA sells property without consent, what happens when Medicaid tries to recoup assisted living expense?

Question - This is a complicated and potentially nasty situation. The simple answer is that your sister shouldn't be able to get away with selling the house without your mother's consent, and if she did sell it, she shouldn't be able to use the money for herself. Let's take a look at the different parts of this situation...

1 Expert Answer

Is there a better medication for my Alzheimer's mother to help control her abusive behavior?

Question - Rejection of care is quite common in individuals with advanced dementia. Your mother does not understand why the caregivers try to provide care for her and resist their care. In addition to the lack of understanding, rejection of care is often caused by depression...

1 Expert Answer, 14 Community Answers

He's better on the new meds; should I bring him home?

Question - Dear anonymous-

1 Expert Answer

If Mom's care home doesn't accept Medicaid, can they kick her out when the money runs out?

Question - I have a parent with Alzheimer's living in a monthly pay home. The money will be exhausted in approximately 18 months. We moved her from a large facility to a smaller group home with only six residents to stretch the money. My question is, is there any legal obligation by the home to accept medical or Medicaid when the funds are gone...

The law changed - does that mean she's eligible for Medicare now?

Question - You should contact an Elder Law attorney as soon as possible because the Medicaid laws do differ significantly from state to state. You refer to "Medicare" in your letter, but it actually is "Medicaid" which is a different program that has the authority in some situations to levy on a home of a Medicaid recipient...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

At what point can she come home from the care facility?

Question - Discharge from a extended care facility does not mean that you have to be fully recovered to go home. It simply means that the healthcare team has determined that your condition is stable, and that you do not need rehab-level care anymore. At an extended care facility, a social worker or nurse usually serves as the "discharge planner"...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Which medications would be best to ease the transition to assisted living?

Question - Whenever a senior citizen transitions into a new living environment it can be disorienting, confusing and traumatic so I feel for your Mom and for you too in this difficult situation. I’m sorry to say that there is no simple medication solution for these types of negative behaviors.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

What legal issues can we anticipate going against my step-mother's wishes to keep Dad in an assisted living near her?

Question - There would be a fairly straightforward legal answer if your father completed a power of attorney for healthcare while he still had the mental capacity to do so. In that case, if he named an agent or proxy to direct his care, then that person is authorized to make those decisions.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Would it be hard on my mother to move to another state at this stage in her dementia?

Question - I am not sure that your mother would recognize where she is living because she would be in an institution in both places. The trip may be a little traumatic but at this point the most important factors that may increase her enjoyment of life are frequent visits from her family. You did a great job by keeping her with you and your husband for 5 years...

1 Expert Answer

As POA, can I overrule my mother's request for no hospice care?

Question - As long as your mother was legally competent when she completed the power of attorney, there are two answers to your question: one based in the law and one based on common sense. Both answers are the same—but not likely what you want to hear.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

The nursing home took POA away from me. What can I do now?

Question - You may be right about the bottom line: It might be more efficient for your granny and the nursing home and less psychologically trying for you if the nursing home administrators take over handling her finances. Just make sure they do what they are required to do: File a periodic accounting that shows...

1 Expert Answer

How can we pay for Assisted Living?

Question - Our mom had a hip replacement and has severe COPD. She's 89 years old and currently on 24/7 oxygen. Soon she will go through a pulmonary rehab and afterward hopefully only need oxygen during sleep. Now, she's in a board and care home but it's too expensive to keep her there indefinitely, as it seems to be handled only through private pay...

Should an Alzheimer's patient be moved between facilities?

Question - I would avoid moving an Alzheimer's patient from facility to facility. You may encounter situations that may be appropriate for this to take place, such as abuse or moving them closer to you (if it's a dramatic distance.

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Should I donate my father's belongings if there's no hope for a recovery back to independent living?

Question - You are coping with a difficult turn of events and some tough decisions and you are not alone. Falls are the number one cause of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in older adults. Before making decisions about your father’s personal property, be sure you fully understand his prognosis. Head injuries can n be classified as mild, moderate, or severe...

1 Expert Answer

If my father won't accept any help, am I liable for any injury he may incur?

Question - If your father is competent to make his own decisions, there is little that you can do other than to try and convince him that living alone could present unnecessary risks to his safety and well-being. However, if you believe that at his present mental state of, as you describe, early dementia, he is...

1 Expert Answer

What responsibility does an assisted living have to report problems to the resident's family members?

Question - Communication between any facility and the family can be the source of great satisfaction and at times great frustration. Reporting problems with a resident to the family can be the most complex. Let’s begin by looking at this situation from the perspective of the facili...

1 Expert Answer

Questions About Housing for Seniors

Also from Caring.com