Here are things I learned while applying for Medicaid for my dad, who has alzheimer's:

-- hire an elder-care lawyer - I never could have navigated the requirements on my own

-- if there is a surving spouse, hiring a lawyer will allow you to protect as much as you can for him/her. elder care attorneys know about transferring & protecting money - how much is legal and how to do it

-- be ready for family discord - when there is money involved (the lawyers were thrilled to learn i am an only child - so they wouldn't have other children fighting about the money)

-- Medicaid providers in your state - if you have more than one to choose from, don't sign up until you do thorough research on what is most important to you. The attorney office told me that the providers are all the same. They aren't - I needed to focus on the provider with long term care (LTC) alzheimer's facilities in the southeast valley where I live. Not every provider had facilities in my area.

-- be ready for family members to be angry with something/everything in the process. the govt is very intrusive and they will watch the applicant's finances forever - to make sure s/he isn't hiding anything ...

-- do your own research. My medicaid case manager was new and fairly uninformed - the list he gave me of allowed facilities was very limited. I found many more on my own.... (see next tip)

--in the case of alzheimer's care, not all facilities will show up on a search. Many assisted care facilities have a "memory care" wing (alzheimers & dementia). These facilities probably will not show up on a search of alzheimer's care facilities in your area. Best to contact every assisted care facility in your vicinity and ask them if they have a memory care wing. I found 6 within 10 miles of my home that way (and they had not shown up on other searches!)

-- visit every facility - not all facilities are created equal

-- see if there is a rating of facilities on the web - find it and review every facility under consideration


And having said all of the above, I found a very nice place for my dad - 6 miles from my home. It is in an assisted care facility - they have a "memory care" wing with 17 rooms (34 patients). Dad moved in last week. If i can do it, anyone can - but it isn't easy.