Nursing home planning protects your assets primarily by structuring your finances so that you qualify for Medicaid while preserving as much of your estate as possible. Techniques like establishing Medicaid-compliant trusts, gifting certain assets, and carefully timing transfers help reduce countable assets, allowing Medicaid to cover nursing home costs without depleting your resources. This protection ensures your wealth can benefit your heirs as intended.Additionally, legal tools such as powers of attorney and health care directives ensure control over asset management and care decisions even when you cannot act independently. Proper planning also deters unnecessary spending on care and prevents potential financial exploitation during vulnerable times, thereby securing your assets and future.