I am trying to find additional money to help pay for my brother's assisted living bills. He has vascular dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. He also has Major Depressive Disorder. He is medically eligible for Medicaid, but I would have to move him to the skilled nursing portion of his care facility to apply for Medicaid. He would have to move out of his comfortable room into the hospital ward-like beds of skilled care. His clinical depression is eased somewhat by the pleasant surroundings of his assisted living room. If he moves to the clinic-like skilled nursing section, I'm concerned that his depression would increase and his decline from his dementia would only get worse. I am his financial POA, and I need an additional $1,600 a month added to his social security and pension to keep him in his assisted living room. I have been dipping into his savings to pay the current bills, but his money will soon run out. I am 70 years old and retired with health problems of my own and have no assets I can use to pay my brother's bills. I am considering using GoFundMe to do fundraising for my brother. Has anyone gone this route? Any suggestions or opinions? Thanks very much.
As far as GoFundMe... I don't know but I personally wouldn't contribute to such a fund since there are hundreds of thousands of people in your brother's exact shoes. That's a lot of money to have to raise every month, month after month, and that's if he doesn't need MC which will be even more expensive.
Unfortunately, not using Medicaid because you don't want to move your brother to skilled nursing isn't going to fly. Taxpayers will already pay for his care with Medicaid, yet you're asking for even more.
It won't work.
I would start searching for a new facility if your unhappy with the current one. I suggest finding a care placement specialist who knows the area. I wouldn’t have found where my mom is currently without mine. Carepatrol is a franchise , that I used. Maybe they are in your area ?? Or one similar. My agent met me at the facility, for tour and talking with the coordinator. Agent gets paid by the Facility for placement, not by you. I helped place my mom in another city like this, along with my in laws, and my mother a second time. Invaluable resource. My agent knows the cost, availability, if the place fits you etc.
good luck with your changes …
It is admirable you are trying so hard to provide for your brother; I had a much loved brother of my own, who ended his days in ALF and was much comforted by being able to have his last remaining treasures and his own furniture around him, and I can imagine how much your heart hurts for your brother. I am so sorry.
Go fund me is for people who need a one time help, not a crutch for ongoing help. Your brother would need ongoing. Plus, medicaid would count go fund me as income and it would be taxable. You'd be doing him a dis service. There are anti depressants his Dr. could prescribe if he can't have a room by himself. The memory care places I checked out for mom all have private rooms. Find a memory care facility first so medicaid doesn't try placing him first. You've got a better chance of getting what you want. Go fund me is not for your circumstance.
Think of Medicaid as akin to a big urban public school system. Some schools are stellar but most are on a gradient. Find out, perhaps by even asking his al, what facilities they prefer to work with for transfers, that’ll probably be the better ones.
If he has enough for one or months in a nice LTC, get him placed. Then apply for Medicaid. If the facility helps you with the process, keep on top of it. In my State you only have 90 days to spend down and get info needed to the caseworker. With my Mom I started the application process in April. She paid 2 months privately for May and June. I confirmed in June with the caseworker, that Mom was spent down and he had all info needed. Medicaid started July 1st.
Me personally, I do not do GoFundMe. And as said, they are not set up for continued income.
That is really going to go over well when they try to spin their story to gain sympathy. Might have a shot if say their LO was 40 or something.
many familes
are in the same boat, start looking now and ask the financial questions.
Isn’t it crazy how our society works?! If only you could find an additional $1600 per month, your brother could continue to live in a nice memory care unit. The alternative is to move him to a sterile (hopefully) nursing home and apply for Medicaid to the tune of well over $100,000 per year. This is such a huge struggle that many caregivers face. The availability of supplemental funds to individuals who pay out of pocket for memory care would save taxpayers a lot of money and free up nursing home beds to those who truly require that level of care.
I am wondering if you have contacted your county dept. on aging. In many states, there are some memory care facilities that accept Medicaid. However, there aren’t many. You may want to reach out to find out about other options or even see if there are memory care facilities that are a bit cheaper than your brother’s current placement. Good luck to you!
I'm not sure where you are from, but many states have funding available to help the disabled and elderly. The best program we have in this area is called IRIS.
They allow the person or trusted family member to direct their own care. They can stay in charge. In fact they can stay in their own home if they want and IRIS will help pay for the care he wants to bring in. But whatever his needs are and where ever he chooses to go they can help financially. They will help pay for caregivers and also things he needs that are not already covered by his insurance.
I pray for you and your brother to find the best and for God to heal you both of whatever problems you may now have. God Bless You!
YOU SAID "He is medically eligible for Medicaid, but I would have to move him to the skilled nursing portion of his care facility to apply for Medicaid."
NOW: Ask the facility to place him or get a conservator.
Where I live, there are a lot of panhandlers standing at the center dividers where people wait to make a left turn. If they get one person to give them $1 every traffic light cycle, they probably get $20/hr. So, potentially they can make $100 or more per day, or $3000/month. No wonder they don't want to work.
I also have seen a few women pushing their little kids in strollers, walking up to people in parking lots and asking for money.
And there are a few normal/not homeless people carrying big poster boards with pictures of a sick child and a message saying the kid has cancer and they need money, etc. These people will walk right into the street where cars are waiting at red lights and shove their signs in front of the drivers to ask for money. Whether they actually have a sick kid with cancer, who knows. But these people get a lot of money, $5 or $10 from each donor vs $1 that panhandlers get.
At 70 y.o., svking, I don't recommend you try any of the above.
Fundly.
Bonfire.
Double the Donation.
DonateKindly.
Kickstarter.
IndieGogo.
Classy.
Kickstarter.
I would be very surprised if friends would continue to donate $1600 a month to keep your brother living where he's at indefinitely. Most people have it in them to donate once or twice, and that's it. To think you can keep him there month after month seems like a pipe dream, in my opinion, but it may be worth a try. Don't be surprised if people don't donate to the 'cause', however. Times are very hard right now & most of us can't even afford our OWN lives, never mind to fund someone else's when Medicaid IS an option.
Good luck