How do we pay for a nursing home without losing the family home?
My mother has dementia and will probably need full-time care soon. Her main asset is her house. We’ve heard Medicaid could help but that the house might have to be sold. Where do we start?
1 lawyer answer
Long-term care is expensive, and in the US many families look at Medicaid, which can cover nursing home care for people who meet medical and financial eligibility rules. Those rules are complex and vary by state. In many states, a home may be treated as exempt in some circumstances — for example, while a spouse or certain relatives live there — but it may later be subject to estate recovery.
There is also usually a “look-back” period during which gifts or transfers for less than fair value can lead to a penalty period. Moving assets without advice can therefore cause problems rather than solve them.
Steps to consider now: make sure valid powers of attorney are in place, gather financial statements and property records, and talk to an elder law attorney before transferring anything.
This is general information, not legal advice — speak to a licensed lawyer about your situation.
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