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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?

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Use it to pay for in home care. That is a legal spend down.

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.
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Whynergal1 Feb 2020
I thought the same thing, but the problem is convincing her she needs it.. thank you for the clarification on not dominating or gifting it.
Appreciate it, Kris
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Are all her legal papers in order? DPOA, will and so on? If not, some of the money can be spent on that, and, also her funeral arrangements. These two things alone should bring her down to the level she needs to be at or at least close to it.
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Whynergal1 Feb 2020
Yes, she had made and paid for her funeral arrangements. No on the DPOA, she won't consider it as long as she is of sound mind (of which she still is, bills are paid on time, still is very independent) she is just beginning to have episodes of confusion, so far few and somewhat far between, and will not consent to hand over her decision rights. Thank you for your reply i will look further into that though.

Best, Kris
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She cant appoint a POA once she is incompetent. Does she realize that?

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.
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I am not in Ca, but cant she prepay for funeral plot and arrangements?
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worriedinCali Feb 2020
she can have a $1500 funeral trust in California.
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Tell her she can't do DPOA when she is no longer competent. She has to assign someone while she is competent. Thats the whole purpose. She can have it written that it doesn't take effect until she is found incompetent to handle her own affairs.

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.
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Whynergal1 Feb 2020
I'm not sure the 5k applies to in home services, you may be correct that she can only use it for long term. Thanks for your help. I'm new to all of this and constantly serching for answers.
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The program you are looking to get your mom in to is in-home support services right? It’s a medi-cal program for home care.
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.
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Whynergal1 Feb 2020
Your feedback is so welcomed, unfortunately or fortunately she lives in a small low rent senior apartment with all necessities for seniors including bars for the tub and bathroom, she does not wear glasses or needs hearing aids. At this point her tiny apartment is clean and she has already paid for her funeral expenses. Do you know if she can use it for short term in home care assistance or does it have to be long term care? At this point she has episodes of confusion, her bills are paid and apartment clean. This seems to be the begging of more episodes, more confusion etc. Anymore feedback would greatly appreciated.

Kris
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