Caring for a spouse is different from caring for a parent, financially and otherwise. Ohio's spousal impoverishment protections shield a set amount of the couple's income and assets for the spouse who stays home when the other needs Medicaid-covered care.
Short answer
Options that keep a couple together, and the spousal protections Medicaid provides.
What to do, in order
- Understand the spousal protections. Ohio's Community Spouse Resource Allowance and Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance figures change annually -- confirm current amounts with the Council on Aging or an elder law attorney before making decisions.
- Look at communities that keep couples together. Several campuses offer more than one level of care on one site.
- Be honest about your own health. Spousal caregivers routinely under-report their own decline.
- Get an objective assessment. The Area Agency on Aging serving your county can assess both of you at no cost.
