[honeychile]

The law differs from state to state. If Thelma signs over all of her assets within a certain amount of time before going into a home, it will be noted, and both she & the son can be hit with incredible taxes. Also, the care received by someone who goes to a home indigent and someone who at least has a good pension or other assets is HUGE!

In most thought-out cases, the Thelmas of the world will go into a home with a certain amount of money - enough to realistically show that she has an income of sorts. After the home nickle and dimes her to death (Tippiechick is right, they are charged for every depends, laxative, aspirin, etc), she becomes a Medicare case, and usually then moves to the dreaded Medicare floor. If you think pictures of puppy mills are bad, you should see (and smell) these floors! No one is fed by hand, even if they need it, no stimulation, no tv in the room, nothing. Frankly, before I'd go to a Medicare floor, I'd use the Smith & Wesson plan.