Update on my move to assisted living.

[pnwmom]

19. Of course I don't know what your financial situation is. But every DUer in your situation

who can envision running out of funds some day - and perhaps needing to be in a nursing home on Medicaid -- should be aware of a few things.

There are people who are on the borderline of needing high levels of assisted care and qualifying for nursing home care. My mother was in this situation. We could have had her go to an assisted living place at the highest level of care and she had enough funds to last for maybe a year there. But if she had waited till all her funds had run out before she looked for a Medicaid spot in a nursing home, she would have had much more limited choices. Most nursing homes have a large majority of people on Medicaid, but they give admissions priority to private pay people (who are important to keeping the facility afloat financially).

Since Mom had enough money to apply to a nursing home as a private pay patient, she had a choice of excellent nursing homes, that all accept Medicaid once the private pay person runs out of funds. But they like to see at least 6 months worth of assets in order to accept a person as a private pay.

So my mother, by choosing a nursing home over the highest level assisted living, still had enough funds to apply for a private pay slot in an excellent, personalized nursing home with all private rooms. And when she eventually was switched to Medicaid, nothing changed. She stayed in the same room, with the same people caring for her.

Based on your postings, I realize you're not in need of the highest level assisted living care or nursing home care at this point in your life. But if you don't have unlimited resources, you and your daughter should pay attention to your finances so you don't inadvertently spend all your money in assisted living, with not enough left over to apply eventually to a nursing home as a private pay person. If you ever get to the point where you're at the highest level of assisted living care, it's better to switch to a good nursing home while you can still afford to enter it without Medicaid.

Good luck with your move!