Medicaid is the largest government assistance program that is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. The program is called a variety of alternative names that vary by state including Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Medical Assistance, etc. Currently, there are 68 million enrolled in the program and over 4.6 million are low-income seniors that cannot afford to privately pay for services such as long-term care. Each state holds discretion over certain services funded by Medicaid and various eligibility rules apply. Two of the most important eligibility rules include having a need for care and having limited income or assets, or that your financial income is spent mostly on medical care. Qualifying for eligibility through Medicaid is a complex subject, and it is necessary to check your state's regulations and rules for applying. For those that meet eligibility requirements for Medicaid aside from their income and/or assets, some states allow a process called "Spending Down" to be able to fully qualify for financial assistance. Let's look at the process itself and successful ways to meet the requirements without harming you or your loved one's chance of Medicaid eligibility. read more

Often, seniors and their families may not be prepared for a sudden move to a nursing home or an assisted living facility and financially may be at a loss at what to do. It is not a secret that senior living, especially covering long-term care services such as activities of daily living can be costly and quickly deplete seniors and their family's finances. Consider these helpful tips for paying for senior housing and care. read more

"People want to believe that there's a mythical gizmo or game or surroundings that will keep people with dementias occupied and happy. The fact is that they don't want things. They want people. They want attention. They want to be loved." read more

"One challenge I see is that people are healthier and living longer and the price for senior housing is going up. Meaning people are running out of money to pay privately for senior housing. One of the reasons I love working for CarePartners is that they don't make people move once their money runs out. They do not turn their backs on our residents." read more