My 79 mother lives alone and is showing signs of dementia. She is only on medicare and has never considered making plans, financially or otherwise for short/long term care. She still drives but has had recent episodes of confusion and has been getting lost, with the police bringing her home most recently. She will not consider handing over her keys so we have contacted the DMV for reexamination. She only has enough savings for in home assistance care for about 5 months. My sister and I are trying to get her on Medi-cal to receive financial help for in home assistance care but she won't qualify because she has too much money in her savings account. She needs to be at 2k or less in the state of California, so we need to spend 5k of it. This is all she has and has been saving this for so long. 1. She won't even consider spending her money on anything she doesn't need or want this is a work in progress. We are trying to help her understand her needs for the future financially. 2. She will not consider someone coming into her home to help her, even one day a week, this is also a work in progress. 3. If we finally convice her of the need to do this what do we spend it on? She doesn't own a home, lives off of her SS and below poverty level. Her children cannot financially help. I'm not sure if she can give it as a gift to someone or donate it, or if she need to spend in on something other. Does anyone have any information as to how to do this?
No she can't gift it or donate it, why would you want to do that.
People save for a rainy day, well use that umbrella that she has spent so much time putting away.
Appreciate it, Kris
Best, Kris
Please see if she will agree to see an elder care attorney who can explain what needs to be done so that she can retain control while competent but be protected when she starts to fail.
Are you sure the 2k applies to in home services? I would question that. 2k usually applies to Long Term Care in a nursing home.
Worried is one of our Californians maybe she will chime in.
Eligibility is based on income AND assets so your mom does have to have less than $2k in assets. You can spend down the
money on home care, pay someone to clean the house a few times a month, get her new hearing aids, glasses, put $1500 in a funeral trust, make small home modifications to make it easier for her-like a putting in a tub with a door, or bars in the shower.
Kris