I guess I should have explained our particular situation more - it's not as simple as cash in our family. My parents and brother own a farm together - and I currently live with my parents in the house on that farm. If they lost their assets, I don't know how that would affect the house and farm - meaning my brother's livelihood and my residence. So that is why my parents felt they had to protect their assets. The farm and house have been in our family for over 100 years. Should they have to lose that if they had to go into a nursing home? I think the house might be protected as long as one of them lived here, but how would my parent's share of the farm be quantified? This is why I am so conflicted - I too feel like we expect too much from the government, but there are always situations like this that don't seem to have a clear resolution.
BTW, I am forever telling my parents to spend more money on things they enjoy while they are here. They have worked very hard in their lives. I wish my dad would retire, but I know he will work every day until he physically cannot. Darn farmers
