Hello-
I apologize about the last post, I am in a panic trying to find the best way to keep mom in her home and get her help with personal things if/when needed. Perhaps a part time aide?
Updated background:
* Mom has declining memory and abilities but is still functional.
* She lives in her own home with a close family friend who helps her with appointments and around the house. He can only help with light chores and driving.
* She is living off SS and her retirement. Her biggest asset is a car $5-6K.
* The house is probably not compliant with code enforcement due to decades of improper additions/modifications. Not sure it is sellable.
* Broome county NY elderly services are almost useless.
* I am trying to manage from long distance and broke/looking for work.
Questions:
* She will need to finance part time assistance until her funds run down.
* To continue getting care, she will need to sell the house and move into assisted living?
* Would a revocable trust help her keep the house. No one wants the house!
* I assume if the trust cant be established then medicaid will not help until all assets are run down?
* Is an elder care attorney the only real option for this kind of planning? It seems like there should be a blueprint online somewhere. This cant be unique.
Thank you.
Homes don't need to be up to code to sell.
A POA can sell a home if their POA document allows that.
The home, if it sits while Mom is in care on Medicaid, will be part of estate recovery or "claw back" as it is called; that is to say when sold the assets from the home will go to pay be Medicaid for Mom's care.
You really need to see an Elder Law Attorney in Mom's area for options now. And that should be in Mom's state as you can be helped with applications and etc for such aid as exists.
You really can't count on a Forum when so many complexities are concerned, and remember we are lay people basically only with our own experience and no expertise.
I sure wish you luck. I tried to manage as POA from across the state and it is tough stuff when you don't live in the same area.
Simplify your stress over these problems by speaking to an elder law attorney who will answer all your questions and guide you through the process and set your mind at ease.
Keeping the house isn't your best option. She and friend will continue to decline in health, and the house with no one to oversee it will become a burden and fall into even more disrepair. Upkeep, taxes, insurance, etc. all cost your mom money. That money could be better spent on paying for assisted living in a facility which can expand to memory care when she's ready. Assisted living can provide transportation for doctors, shopping, etc. You may think mom can stay in her home indefinitely, but you're only fooling yourself. The handwriting is on the wall. Read it and prepare.
Her house, not her car, is her biggest asset. No one wants her house, you say. Great. It needs to go to provide a nest egg to take care of your mom. Once she's in assisted living, you will have fewer worries.
A house can be sold "as is." In that case, the buyer brings it up to code. Or not. The house becomes the buyer's responsibility.