Dad is in an assisted living currently and the facility has asked we start looking for a NH. They were vague on the timeline. This past week I found out the caseworker went to see him as requested by facility. Does anyone know why and was that for an evaluation? Should I be worried? I’m scared they are pushing for discharge I’m not the POA and cannot get details. Long story why I can’t ask POA.
Also is there a place you can look up what facilities have Medicaid beds free? Thanks!
If your dad has enough cognitive decline, only his Durable PoA can give permission to move him. Hopefully, he will be moved to a facility that has the full spectrum of care, up until MC and hospice, so that he'll never need to be upended again.
The financial PoA is probably aware that your dad may be running out of money. Going onto Medicaid is not the end of the world but in my state there were waiting lists for the few Medicaid beds so we got my MIL into a nice facility before her money ran out because the inside people (current residents) get first dibs on those beds. I say beds because Medicaid only pays for a shared room. Once on Medicaid they cannot legally 'kick him out" and he will get all the same care as the rest of the residents. If he qualifies for Medicaid once in a new NH but there are no Medicaid rooms, the facility will expect his PoA to come up with the difference between the daily private room cost and the Medicaid portion. In our case it was $600+ per month. Luckily we had 3 families to split that expense and we had to pay it for about 8 months until a bed came available.
Sorry that you are not on good terms with the PoA. You can choose to worry about things not in your control, but maybe there are more productive things relating to your dad that you can put energy into? Wishing you peace in your heart!
You can look up all nursing homes here on the medi-care website, enter your zip code, choose the facility name and here you can see if they participate in medicaid and how they rate: good luck.
https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html?
Have you presented these questions to the nursing home social worker? In my experience I speak with the social worker almost weekly from out of town and she provides me with all details of my father in laws care and concerns. I am not the POA. I also talk with the nurses. If you have not personally asked these questions, that is where I would start. More than likely, it was a case manager that visited him, I don't think Medicaid has the manpower to send people out in the field for that. At least not here in my state of Missouri. The assisted living facility should be able to provide you with information to get the Medicaid ball rolling. It is a lengthy process but as we found, the NH also has people that will help you to file the paperwork. Is another family member POA? They need to get this going for the best care for your Dad. Best of luck.
There must be much more to this story. You cannot ask the POA why dad has been asked to go to NH - yet you are involved in searching for a Medicaid bed.
The MAIN concern should be about your Dad! Will this POA not talk to you at all?? Obviously you don’t have a say but yet YOU’RE looking for Medicaid beds & STRESSING?? It was my understanding that by law the POA had to share info to family members? Regarding finances? If on Medicaid or Medicare.
I question myself b/c I started the Medicaid process a year ago right smack when Mom 1st came to live with me. I reached out to every government agency for help seeing how bad Mom really was! Dementia & Hemorrhaging stroke. At that time sister would NOT speak to me so I couldn’t get bank statements to fill out a Medicaid application properly.
I was given the above (law) info by a Medicare social worker.
Has your POA started a Medicaid application? Is your Dad on Medicaid?
oh boy what a long road.
GodSpeed