Many patients, however, are in a nursing home because they can no longer manage daily activities, such as bathing, eating, and dressing, and there is no one at home able to provide the kind of care they need. Assess your needs and evaluate your options. Many communities have a range of services available to assist you in your own home. Your local Office on Aging and your physician can help you explore existing home care options as well as nursing home options. Consider your financial situation.
Many people enter a nursing home paying for care with their own income and savings.
But since care is so costly, most must apply for Medicaid to help cover the cost once their savings are depleted. Federal law, however, now allows individuals to receive Medicaid assistance without requiring their family be destitute as well. These amounts, effective in 1995, increase each year. Your state Office on Aging or state Medicaid Office can provide additional information. Medicare will pay the first 20 days of approved skilled care in a Medicare-certified home.