My 88-year old great aunt is very frail and in poor health. She does not make good decisions about her health. Presently, she is in a nursing home, and our family believes she needs assisted living and/or nursing care. All she talks about is going back home, though. She does have some help, but it's not enough and she is unwilling to pay more for care. I understand she has a long-term care insurance policy but the company is making it very difficult for home-care to be secured and paid for. None of us are able to help her so she will have to rely on her current, inadequate resources. Is there anything we can do to "force" her to remain in nursing care or assisted living?
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3/13/09 3:47pm
If someone has Power of Attorney for health care (hopefully, someone does) then they would have some say. I'd get a doctor in on this, too.
With a doctor backing you, and a POA, you should be able to get her in a good nursing home. Assisted Living and in-home care - especially in-home care - weren't often covered by the older long-term care policies. The newer ones are different.
You may need an estate attorney or elder attorney to look over the policy to see what they have to cover. But obviously, you are concerned and she needs help. I hope someone has the legal right to help her make the right decision. Stick with her, as she'll hate it all at first, but likely get so she feels safer and better in a nursing home or AL.
Take care,
Carol
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By Carlita— Last Modified: 11/12/10, First Published: 01/21/09
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