Medicare pays only for medically necessary skilled nursing facility or home health care. It does not pay for "custodial care" that includes support services and help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and using the bathroom. Medicare does have a limited Skilled Nursing Facility benefit but all care provided must be medically necessary.
Medicaid does cover custodial care when income guidelines are met. Many people pay for this care themselves until their savings run out then Medicaid will start to pick up the bills. This is referred to as "spending down".
Another option for payment is Long-term Care Insurance. This insurance is more expensive as you get older, but can be quite reasonable if you plan early and are fairly healthy when you first buy it.
If you are a Veteran you may qualify for long term care from the Veteran's Administration. Check with your local VA for help with this.
