My aunt has no children, so I have volunteered to be her caregiver. If I had known what it involves both in terms of time and money, I probably woulnd't have made that decision. She has enough Social Security to pay for independent living, but not for anything else. I have looked in every possible corner to try to find out what happens to an elderly person who cannot afford to get further care when she needs it and have found no answers. She is not eligible for Medicaid because her Social Security is too high. Ironically I may very well be eligible for Medicaid, but I haven't had time to look into it because of my responsibilities with her. Any advice
Let me explain that "spend-down" term: If she has excess income over and above what Medicaid allows her to have in order to qualify for Medicaid, she will have to spend it down to their allowable level: $2,000 per month, plus a home and car that will be exempt. That's all you're allowed to have in order to qualify for Medicaid.
However...
If she has a valuable estate (real estate, savings, etc), that will need to be dealt with before she qualifies for Medicaid as well, but from what you said, it doesn't sound like that's the situation.
Right now, in Independent Living, she doesn't qualify for Medicaid, because she is still living on her own, as far as Medicaid is concerned, so her SS income is too high (above $2,000 per month, apparently). Once she requires full time nursing home care, that status will change and she will qualify for Medicaid because the nursing home expense will be considered a liability that she is responsible for and that will reduce her income to the point that she will qualify with a patient pay amount to be determined once she is approved.
For example: My mother had too much income (just barely) to qualify for Medicaid while still living at home - even with outstanding medical bills she couldn't afford to pay. Once she went into the nursing home, she automatically qualified for Medicaid coverage, but was required to pay her entire SS check (except $60 she was allowed to keep) to the nursing home as her "patient pay portion".
I'd consult with a professional, like an Elder Law attorney who knows Medicaid law. I'd be careful about paying for things for her, because that could be considered as income to her, which might not be in her best interest when calculating for benefits.
I'd also explore about whether your aunt having a disability makes a difference in what her assets are. In my state, they have a Medicaid type program that covers for the care of people who need AL or Memory Care due to dementia or other disability. It seems the income requirements are more flexible than you might expect. I suspect it's due to the greater cost of care for those with dementia.
I hope you find some answers. I hope others who have dealt with this will chime in.
Since I have had a nervous break down as a result of caring for her and losing my boyfriend during the last nine months, I realize I do not have the strength to cope with the stress that I didn't fully understand until I took on this responsibility.
My only recommendation is that if someone finds herself in my position, especially if she is not a daughter, that she find out what other options are available. This is extremely stressful and distressing and unless you have a lot of support and can afford to cover all the costs, I would run as fast as possible in the other direction. Wish I had done more research and thought things through more carefully.
I hope you have time and resources to find a solution that will have the smallest impact on everyone involved. Wishing you the very best…