This week’s question for Kim:
“A year ago, my husband and I invited my mother to move in with us. She needs around-the-clock care and we can’t afford a nurse. I’m happy to help my mother, but I’ve had to cut back on my hours at work to look after her and my husband was already working overtime before we took her in. How do we keep from breaking the bank?”
Kim’s response:
“You’re in a tough situation, but there are resources available to you. I would first ask about your mother’s financial situation. Does she have a Long-Term Policy to assist with in-home caregivers? Does she have any resources to help pay for help? If not, your mother may qualify for Medicaid, which is a government program to assist individuals needing financial help with medical care. This is a different program than Medicare, which everyone qualifies for at age 65, but comes with a cost. Medicaid is for financially disadvantaged individuals. Basically, they pay for the Medicare costs as well as paying for things Medicare doesn’t pay for, including nursing homes and in-home care. There are strict financial requirements, and you can look for details on several websites, such as AARP, the American Council on Aging, and even Medicare.gov.”