It is estimated there are approximately 69.6 million baby boomers in Florida and around the country. Many in this generation which ranges from age 58 to 76 are reaching the stage in life where they may need help with activities of daily living. Moving to an assisted living facility could be a great solution for those struggling with medical difficulties. However, for those who rely on Medicaid to help pay for assisted living costs, they may be in for a rude awakening.
Privately owned assisted living facilities are beginning to reject resident applications if the client will be using Medicaid to pay their monthly fee and have even evicting existing Medicaid residents. It is unfortunate there is no recourse for residents to lose their living arrangements due to their reliance on Medicaid, and many consider this a part of the ever-growing epidemic of assisted living facility abuse and neglect.
What is more shocking is that many of these facilities are approved to accept Medicaid as a form of payment. However, some assume facility owners place more importance on attracting private pay clients over the needs of existing residents who rely on the services of the company. Instead of improving the lives of their residents, many facilities cause great harm with this kind of abuse and neglect.
Some residents have been given as little as 45 days to leave their home and find a new place to live. Certainly, many of these residents are quite elderly and may have no help to pack their belongings or make other living arrangements.
For those experiencing possible eviction from an assisted living facility due to Medicaid dependency, the fear and anxiety can be overwhelming. It can be confusing to try to find the next step to take, and the assisted living facility will likely be no help. Understanding your rights and the rules facilities must follow could help to find ways to allow residents to remain in their homes and lessen the impact on their health.
