How much cash in total is an elderly person allowed to give to others each year without it having to be paid back if the giver has to go into a nursing home or dies within a certain time?

In the US you are allowed to gift up to $13,000 to any individual in any given year without any tax consequences. If you are married then between you and your wife you can give $26K to an individual. Gifts in excess of $13K in a year count against the lifetime gift tax exclusion of $1M, and so may generate gift taxes and can also have an impact on your estate planning. If you are consiuderiung gifts in excess of the annual exclusion amount it would be wise to talk with an estate planning expert first.