Liz Durnell-Maier, Certified Elder Law Attorney from Durnell Maier Law, LLC, explains how seniors do NOT need to pay for nursing home care using their assets. There are benefits you can qualify for to protect your assets and pay for your care, even if you are already in a nursing home right now. This is possible through Medicaid, not the community-based Medicaid, but Medicaid for the “agent”, which is you. The program pays for about 85% of nursing home stays in the state of Ohio.