Expert: Michalene Peticca - 11/26/2009

Question
Michalene, My 76 yr old mother has beginning stage Alzheimer's, but is otherwise healthy. She lives in TX, has a monthly income of approx $2100, and has around $20,000 equity in her townhouse. She started having memory issues about 1-2 yrs ago. She recently had an episode of extreme unexplained fear. It may have been a side-effect of her Alzheimer's medication. She recently told me she believes she lost a lot of memory with that episode. I was shocked to find that she no longer knows what her sources of income are, nor does she know how her income gets into her checking account. She doesn't know what her debts and assets are. She writes a check as soon as a bill is received, but she doesn't know her balance. She kept good records in the past, so I'm sure I can figure it all out. My concern is what to do with her. She lives alone and has made it quite clear that she is ready to live in an assisted-living home. I don't know where to start or what we can expect to find with the aforementioned income. Our homes are full and we have no room, but I don't want her someplace she'll be abused as her health gets worse. Does Medicare cover assisted-living? Any other ideas? Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hello Ed,

Thank you for writing.   Generally, Assisted Living may only be paid by private funds.  However, you may want to start at your local government,  Office of Aging, office.  They will be able to give you listings of area Assisted livings and may also provide information on any state funding that your mom might be entitled to in Texas.

Because she does have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, i would suggest locating living arrangements that allow for her to transition in care as her disease progresses.   Once she becomes in need of more extensive care, Texas Medical assistance will subsidize her care.

Good luck on your search!

Best Regards,
Michalene Peticca, MA