Most of the assisted living communities in western WA either don’t take Medicaid or have at least a two year spend down. A 2 year spend down means you have to pay what they normally charge for two years then they will take your welfare. Now if I could afford the reg pay for 2 years, I wouldn’t be on Medicaid. Anyone know of a place in western WA that takes it? We are willing to move anywhere.
Medicaid usually does not pay for assisted living.
https://story.californiasunday.com/covid-life-care-center-kirkland-washington/
It is focused on covid, so shift the lens.
Point is, this story reports that Twillas daughter placed her since there was no money even for a modest aide schedule. And if you read between the authors bias and the articles immediacy, and look at the facts, you can see how it is.
Its usually immobility or dementia that qualifies one for these places. Do you have either?
FYI if you go into a facility on private pay (one that eventually accepts Medicaid), then when you do qualify, you get priority for a bed since you're already a resident. Being a non-resident of any facility can make the waiting list very long.
ALs are private pay. So, if you have no money you will not be able to go into one. Do you have Care homes near you. These usually have only a few residents and Medicaid may pay. Check with Social Services and Office of Aging to see if they can help.
By Medicaid do you mean healthcare or "in home" care? The criteria for each is different. Healthcare allows you some assets. In home and LTC Medicaid are similar in criteria.
Check with Social Security - they and the internet should provide a long list of assisted living facilities. There is no 'buy down' to get into assisted living - but some places are intended for lower income residents. Get on a waiting list for several places ASAP - if they are full (like many are now); it can take 1-2 years to even get an apartment. Some places will request a refundable deposit; others will just put you on a list and call when an apartment becomes available. Good luck!
An AL will not be able to care for you once your illness progresses. They are not a Skilled Nursing facility. So I think ur better going into LTC. Social Services maybe able to help too.
Keep searching and good luck!
We had the same problem trying to place my mom into a Medicaid facility after she fell in AL and shattered her hips. She would never walk again and her care costs would have skyrocketed to where she/we could no longer afford the AL facility.
The social worker at Swedish was able to place her, but it would have been down in the Kent/Auburn area. A nightmare to get to using I-5.
A part of me somehow knew that she would pass within weeks if not days. We instead opted to move her to a skilled nursing facility, which would cost us a fortune.
They could only take her on a coming Monday so she would spend the weekend at the hospital. She passed away that Saturday morning around 2am, so she never was moved.
To your point though, finding a Medicaid facility here is next to impossible. I think there's one up in Anacortes, and of course the facility in Kent (Can't recall the name) but maybe you can dig up a social worker somewhere and they can help. (Don't use the one in Swedish-Ballard... Poor woman is 90+ years old and hasn't refreshed her knowledge since the 1940's....)