Questions About Senior Citizens Housing

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

2. 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

3. 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?

4. Are there any housing options for chronic alcoholics?

   Question - Are there any housing options for chronic alcoholics?

5. 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, 4 Community Answers

6. What housing options are available?

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7. My parents refuse help but they desperately need it. How can I help them anyway?

   Question - My parents are in their mid seventies. Both have had health issues and both are "functional" alcoholics. They have both taken scary falls this year. My mother has fallen several times over the last 8 years and has broken bones and required surgery.

8. What type of Power of Attorney do I need to handle housing-related business?

   Question - My mother is listed as head of household and my name is on the lease. She has dementia. What type of Power of Attorney do I need to handle housing related business only allowed by head of household?

9. 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...

10. How do I get the deed to my brother's property in my name without an attorney?

    Question - If you and your brother were joint owners on the title to the property, then it should be fairly easy to get it into your name alone—without going through the time and expense of hiring a lawyer.
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11. Considering my parents health, how can they live in a hotel for two to three months?

    Question - Both of your parents would do better in an assisted living community than in their house, or an apartment. Both of them need nursing supervision. Ask the insurance company to pay for their care in the assisted living during the time of the mold clean up, and after that, it's up to your family...
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

12. How can I talk with my parents about moving them to a senior independent living facility?

    Question - You should find 3 com munities in your area. Visit each one and find out what they offer. Tell your parents you heard about a few places that are fun and have a lot going on if that is what they would like. The community will sell itself. You just need to tell your parents they are not living with you...
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13. Is there any way my sister can quality for Medicaid and be placed in a nursing home?

    Question - There are several reasons why your sister may be able to qualify for Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs despite what the nursing home staff said about the sale of her house. First of all, the decision about what is and is not fair market value (FMV) -- with regard to Medicaid eligibility -- is made by the state Medicaid program, not by the nursing home...
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14. Where can my mother with Alzheimer's find life time care?

    Question - I’m sorry to hear that your mom has Alzheimer’s disease and is also facing a financial challenge.
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15. Should I Mom remain home with a caregiver, or move to a newer place with a caregiver?

    Question - It sounds like your mother has a mild dementia. If so, she will feel safer in her familiar environment, no matter its condition. It is then up to you to determine whether she lives in a safe place or not. If she has any dementia, it is progressive, and she will need more care as time goes on.
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16. Are my husband and eligible to live in the Veterans Home?

    Question - If your husband served on active duty during wartime, both of you may be eligible for admmission to a State VA Home. The NJ Veterans Memorial Homes (Vineland, Menlo Park and Paramus) have a 2 year NJ residency requirement prior to admission. There is usually about a 6 month waiting list for each of these homes...
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17. Who owns Dequincy Home Health?

    Question - Who owns Dequincy Home Health?

18. What is preferred between home care vs a nursing home?

    Question - Every situation is different—there is no one choice that is right for everyone when finding the best senior care fit.
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19. Is there a color(s) that people with dementia don't see (recognize)?

    Question - When decorating the environment for dementia people, are there colors not to use?

20. How could my son transfer his trust fund money to the bank and access the funds immediately?

    Question - He wants to know if he could borrow some of his money out of his funds? I know it's some way he could do that. Please help us and tell us what we need to do. we are about to be out of a home and homeless. we just thought we could use some of his money to pay for the house note.

21. Do morgage companies take posession of a house you are no longer living in or just after you pass away?

    Question - My friend has a reverse morgage on her home which she obtained about four years ago. Since the morgage company now owns her home. She understands that when she dies the house goes to the morgage company but what if she moves out the home to live in assised living or nursing home...

22. What should I do to keep my mom's house for myself, when she goes to nursing home?

    Question - My mother has alzheimers.. and has lived with me for past 2.5yrs. She/We still has the family home maintained.

23. How can I find good Alzheimer's care facilities for...

    Question - Word of mouth is perhaps the best way to find good Alzheimer’s care facilities. I would tour a facility, of course. Talk to staff, but most importantly observe.
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24. How can I find good nursing homes for Alzheimer's patients?

    Question - Word of mouth is perhaps the best way to find good nursing homes for Alzheimer’s patients. You can go to any state’s Web site and look under aging services. They will have contact information to help you. I would tour a facility, of course. Talk to staff, but most importantly observe. How do they try treat the people with Alzheimer’s...
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25. Is this plan for the future a viable financial one?

    Question - Medicaid is a joint state and federal program that has rules that differ somewhat from state to state. However, the once prominent tactic of half a loaf giving to protect assets from being counted in determining Medicaid eligibilty is no longer an effective strategy.
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26. Can we get our father out of the Alzheimer's unit?

    Question - One of your questions refers to your father wanting to leave an Alzheimer's unit in continuing care. The other parts of your questions have to do with the family conflicts about your mom, the distance between you and your parents, and the complex question of his rights versus the decision of the facility to put him in the Alzheimer's unit...
    1 Expert Answer, 9 Community Answers

27. Is there housing assistance for the disabled?

    Question - I'm disabled and with my medical bills and small ammount I get for social secutiry disability I can't afford housing. Is there any programs out there that assist with housing assistance for the disabled?

28. Can the government force the sale of a house to pay for care if the property is no longer owned by the patient?

    Question - Because the transfer of her house took place eight years ago, it will not affect your mother-in-law's eligibility for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care now (though her other savings will be considered when she applies for coverage). There are a couple of different reasons for this...
    1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

29. If my parents pay for an addition to my home, is it part of my estate, or theirs?

    Question - The transfer by your mother and your uncle of their interests in the home are considered by the laws to be gifts to you rather than a sale even though the deed may recite that the consideration for the transfer is the payment of a dollar. This is an important distinctiion in regard to Medicaid.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

30. 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...
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31. 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...
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32. Vintage and Silverado retirement homes

    Question - I am living in Southern California and am looking into places for my mom to reside in as she has dementia/Alzheimers and I wanted to know how I could look up any information on their qualities and any problems that they have been written up on through the Social Services or whomever I need to look it up on...

33. How do I begin the process of buying a home for the purpose of housing seniors?

    Question - My name is Nakia from Louisville,Ky. I've worked in the health care field for 4 years. I sympathize with families who have to make a decision to put their loved ones in a nursing home. It can be overwhelming for the family and the senior. I want to buy a house to house 3-4 seniors in the home...

34. My brother wants the house my mother left me, can he take it from me?

    Question - This is not a simple situation, and it paints a striking picture of the complicated legal and emotional intersections between love, money, property and caretaking that so often emerge over the decades of parental care. From a legal perspective you have three separate questions: 1...
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

35. How should we explain to my mother with Alzheimer's that she needs to stay in assisted living?

    Question - What a dilemma! The good news is that you have done the appropriate steps in making life as uncomplicated as possible for your mom. A placement in an Assisted Living facility (ALF) is the most logical step considering her fragile physical and cognitive functioning. Congratulate yourself for having the bravery to make this unpoular move...
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36. Do I have any rights to the house I'm living in?

    Question - Do I have any rights to the house i'm living in? The Grandparents left the house to my daughter's father. We were not married, but live together, We moved in the house when she was 2 and now she's 24. I moved out when she was 12. Her father was sick so he moved to be close to his grandmother. I moved back in when my daughter was 14...

37. Should my mother sell her house so she can pay for her group home care?

    Question - My 91 year old mother is currently living in a group home with 2 other patients which is owned and cared for by a registered nurse. Mom is bedridden and unable to care for herself. She lives in TX. The home is private pay and I have been using my mother's IRAs and CDs to pay $3500.00 monthly for care...

38. What is the best thing for me to do to help my mom, now that she's declining?

    Question - My mom will be 85 next week and is good health with the exception of her memory and being very confused. Lately she does not make the best choices..for example standing in the pouring rain waiting for me to pick her up ( there is a covered porch)... She lives in a senior housing Complex....she does not interact with others there...

39. How can I convince my hoarding parent to let go of junk?

    Question - To decide on an approach, you first need to figure out whether your mother is a pack rat or a hoarder.
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40. What's the difference between a senior real estate specialist and a garden-variety real estate agent?

    Question - The most important distinction is that senior real estate specialists and senior-specialized agents (the terms are used interchangeably) focus on the niche market of seniors selling their homes. Because of this, they may be better at handling the emotional tumult that often surrounds the sale of an older person's home...
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

41. How do I help my elderly mother deal with the loss of her pets?

    Question - First, find out if your mother's new home allows pets. It may come as a surprise, but some homes do, so looking for a pet-friendly facility is a smart first step.
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

42. What can I do if my mom's nursing home is mistreating her and I live out of state?

    Question - The best thing you can do is get on a plane. You need to see your mother with your own eyes. There's no substitute for seeing firsthand how the facility is treating your mom and reviewing her daily medical records. Visiting has another benefit: the presence of family members personalizes your mother...
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

43. What's an assisted living community fee and how much is it?

    Question - Most assisted-living communities charge an application or community fee to new residents. This is a relatively new concept, but it's become the norm. The community fee is usually a onetime payment that covers the administrative cost of moving your dad into the community, the cost of refurbishing his room, and maintenance for the common areas...
    1 Expert Answer

44. The nursing home wants my father to leave because he's hard to manage; what are my options?

    Question - Most likely, yes, the home does have the right to kick him out. To be sure, check the conditions for expulsion in the contract you signed when your dad moved in. Also, take a look at the list of residents' rights, which all nursing homes are required to provide.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

45. Should my mom's house remain unchanged even though she has memory problems?

    Question - Changing the environment drastically is usually very disorienting to someone with dementia or Alzheimer's. It's best to maintain familiar surroundings.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

46. 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

47. What could be wrong with my mother-in-law who makes irrational decisions and wets herself, yet the hospital says she's competent?

    Question - Your wife's mother has spirit and she is smart. After all, she outsmarted both you and the hospital. You took her keys so she had a new lock installed. The hospital declared her competent, but your mother-in-law needs further diagnosis: she should be worked up by a neurologist to explore for dementia...
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48. Where can I turn to get my father some financial and housing assistance?

    Question - It’s always distressing to see evidence that an aging family member is declining. You can use what you’ve observed to begin a conversation with your grandfather with the goal of ensuring his health and safety and maintaining as much independence for him as is possible. Before you can get help for yor your grandfather, you need to talk to him...
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

49. How can I ease tensions between my grandmother, myself and my roommates?

    Question - Your situation sounds difficult, and I'd be willing to bet that tension among the roommates is the least of your problems. For instance, how do you feel about giving up your room and sleeping on the couch indefinitely? If your grandmother can't contribute to the household expenses, does that mean you have to pay her share...
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50. 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

51. How can I get my parents to simplify their affairs before something happens?

    Question - Unfortunately, free will is really powerful. I don't have the exact same situation as you, but there are so many things I try to convince my parents to do for their own good. They basically smile and nod then do what they want. It sounds like your parents are in the same boat...
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52. How can I convince my mother to move to a safer place near me?

    Question - Many adult children are going through this same complex scenario -- when do I step in to help a parent who's living alone?
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

53. Can my home be taken if my mother lives there but her care must be paid for?

    Question - The state cannot take your mother's former home since she no longer owns it, and the transfer to you by your mother two years ago should not affect her Medicaid eligibility because you are her disabled child. So, if your mother has to enter a nursing home, you will be able to apply for Medicaid for her without worrying about loss of your home...
    1 Expert Answer

54. What are the housing options for my parents who are filing bankruptcy?

    Question - Although your parents are not yet ready for supportive housing, it is best to plan ahead. You should review the information on your state websites to find local programs such as HUD, low rent options for seniors and housing choice vouchers.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

55. How can I find out if I am eligible for housing?

    Question - PACE is the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly which helps frail elders stay at home when they otherwise would need nursing home care. It's operated jointly by Medicare and Medicaid and -- if you qualify -- could provide you with full primary medical care, including drugs...
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56. Should my mother with dementia be put in a care facility?

    Question - I'm not sure what you mean by a "bout of dementia." The first question is whether your mother has been diagnosed with some form of dementia. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, don't usually fluctuate that much from day to day...
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

57. Are there special housing facilities for Parkinson's patients?

    Question - As far as I know, there are no retirement communities dedicated to Parkinson's specifically, although some may offer special support to those suffering from this illness. My mother had Parkinson's and she lived out her entire life in a retirement community. At the end she hired her own caregiver, but she was able to function...
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

58. How do I resolve a family conflict so I can visit my mother?

    Question - If I understand you correctly, there are a total of four siblings. Your second oldest sister and her husband live with your mother and your sister is now estranged from you, your brother, and your oldest sister.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

59. How do I convince my mother to move to be closer even though she's overwhelmed with the thought of moving all of her stuff?

    Question - Sometimes the best way to get a parent to move is to say "Let's move what you need right away, close up the house, and come back in a month or two to get everything else."
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

60. Should I get a reverse mortgage or a bank loan for my elderly folks?

    Question - One difference between qualifying for a bank loan and a reverse mortgage is that borrowers must meet strict credit criteria when applying for a traditional loan. Credit history is not a criterion for a reverse mortgage. Most elderly people do not have sufficient credit scores to qualify for bank loans...
    1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

61. What are reverse mortgages?

    Question - A reverse mortgage is a financial tool for seniors over age 62 to tap the equity in their homes. Unlike a forward mortgage, no payments need to be made on a reverse mortgage until the owner no longer lives in the house.
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62. How can we convince my in-laws that they need alternative housing?

    Question - Moving from a family home is an overwhelming prospect for an elderly couple. Add on the physical and emotional burdens your in-laws are experiencing and it probably feels like an impossible challenge. But the care needs you are describing are only going to increase over time.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

63. How can I find housing for my husband, who has Alzheimer's and is very agitated?

    Question - Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) just might be the most devastating disease there is, particularly for the family who bare witness to the often slow, but steady and irreversible decline and most especially if the person suffering acts out physically.
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64. What is the average cost of assisted living in Westchester County in NY state?

    Question - A recent study of 10,000 facilities by Glenworth Financial shows that the annual cost of assisted living averages $36,090 nationally, a 25% increase over 2004. Costs ranged from $4,921 per month in New Jersey to $1,981 per month in Arkansas. Westchester county will fall into the higher end of this spectrum...
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