In general, you have no liability for the costs of someone else’s long term care, and nursing homes cannot ask you to assume liability. However, there are different ways in which you can inadvertently become personally liable for the care of a loved one. One is if you promise to do so, expressly or impliedly even (possibly) through just reviewing the contracts with the admissions staff. Another is if you are serving as Conservator and don’t properly plan the transition from private-pay to Medicaid eligibility, leaving a payment gap. A third is if you sign as responsible party and the contract provides for third-party liability (they usually don’t). New cases create new potential pitfalls without notice. The safest practice is to have the patient sign all admissions paperwork, even if just with an X, and to have the documents reviewed in advance by a Connecticut elder law attorney. It’s ok to make changes, and we frequently do exactly that. Remember, those forms are valuable contracts and, with the high cost of nursing home care, you should make sure your rights are protected.