Personal Needs Allowance: Nursing Home Money (#1 of 5, for now)
Most nursing home residents are eligible for a Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) from Medicaid, which varies from state to state. In New York, for example, the PNA is $50/month. It’s been $50/month since 1980. There is no inflation adjustment, but if there had been one, residents would be getting $133.63 in 2011 dollars, according to the inflation calculator I used. Instead, their $50 in 1980 is now the equivalent of $18.71.
Fifty dollars a month doesn’t go far these days. A haircut, an off-campus trip, some take-out, and you’re done. Try buying new clothes on that salary.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting anecdotes about residents and the money issues that arise for them in the nursing home.
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Links to money issues posts:
Post 2: https://www.mybetternursinghome.com/late-life-nursing-home-money-2-of-5-for-now/
Post 3: https://www.mybetternursinghome.com/flip-the-script-nursing-home-money-3-of-5-for-now/
Post 4: https://www.mybetternursinghome.com/clothing-and-citizenship-nursing-home-money-4-of-5-for-now/
Post 5: https://www.mybetternursinghome.com/the-recluse-nursing-home-money-5-of-5-for-now/
The “Your Money” chapter in The Savvy Resident’s Guide speaks directly to residents about this topic.
Below, Aunt Sylvia Spends Down: