Old age sometimes makes us feel like our best life is behind us, especially as chronic and often hard-to-manage ailments come knocking. And as our health takes a turn for the worse, we might face the burden of costly medical care that could stretch our resources thin.
But this shouldn’t be your situation if you think ahead. For starters, a life care plan from Burzynski Elder Law can make it easier to manage chronic illness and disability – if life throws you such a curveball.
What is life care planning? And how can you ensure you have a comprehensive plan to save you from the pain and financial stress of dealing with serious medical issues? Read on to find out.
Advance Care Planning
Before a storm hits, most homeowners take the necessary precautions to secure their properties to reduce the risk of damage. Similarly, advance care planning lets you take proactive steps to ensure your medical decisions are respected – if you’re seriously ill or disabled.
Essentially, it communicates your wishes for future healthcare decisions if you cannot decide or speak for yourself. It’s also a complete record of long-term medical and non-medical services you need regularly. This may include services like in-home health care, transportation to medical appointments, and non-medical support – like home modifications or adaptive equipment. Without such a plan, you might open the door for the following:
- Confusion
- Divisive in-fighting among family members
- Endless court battles over health care decisions
- Greater medical costs.
Moreover, it can lead to questioning of your end-of-life decisions or a loved one’s role in making medical decisions on your behalf. Burzynski Elder Law assists individuals and families with advance care planning by drafting legally binding documents. These include living wills, healthcare proxies (durable powers of attorney for healthcare), Do Not Resuscitate orders, and other directives.
By mapping out your current needs and anticipating future requirements, you can ensure your medical care and support are up-to-date and aligned with your budget. Thus, the plan ensures the right services are in place and identifies resources or treatments necessary to sustain or enhance your quality of life. The goal is also to guarantee long-term care while protecting your legal rights, financial security, and independence.
Life Care Planning Tips
Life care planning isn’t a matter of scribbling something into a legal document and forgetting about it. To help you create a comprehensive care plan, consider the following aspects:
1. Get an Early Start
The sooner you plan for a potential disability or chronic illness, the more options you’ll have. With that in mind, start early – even if your health and age are still in top form. After all, you never know what lies around the corner. You may be healthy today, but tomorrow you could find yourself in a medical emergency or lost without a care plan.
2. Consider Your Financial Situation
What’s the current state of your finances? Do you have assets that can support your potential care needs? What about legal documents like wills and power of attorney, insurance policies, trusts, or annuities?
Undoubtedly, the financial impact of debilitating ailments such as stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease, or dementia can be anxiety-inducing. To ensure your savings don’t succumb to long-term care costs, you’ll need to devise a plan that strikes the right balance between quality care and budget-friendly options. Some of the options you can explore to reduce your financial burden include the following:
- Long-term care insurance
- Medicaid
- Home health care assistance
- Veterans benefits
- Life settlements
- Reverse mortgages
Your attorney or financial advisor can help you understand the legal implications of each of these options. In so doing, you can settle on an approach that rightly fits your situation.
3. Involve Your Physician and other Professionals
Your primary healthcare provider can help you curate a plan with your medical needs in mind. It’s also advisable to get input from professionals with expertise in chronic illness and disability care planning.
Such professionals can help you fashion a plan that includes the ideal care options. For instance, an elder care attorney can formulate a care plan that encompasses all medical and legal services while safeguarding your finances and future.
4. Update Your Plan Regularly
A life care plan should be evergreen. Don’t merely draft it and forget about it. Instead, regularly review and update it – especially when significant changes occur.
For instance, if you get married, suffer an injury, become disabled, get a life-altering prognosis, or change your address, ensure your plan reflects such changes. Likewise, updates to long-term care laws may alter the plan’s contents. Therefore, to comply with state and federal laws, have an elder law attorney review your document and revise it accordingly.
Don’t leave your future to chance – it’s within your power to curate a thoughtful and comprehensive life care plan that accounts for all possibilities. By investing in this process and taking the necessary steps, you can confidently face the future – no matter what life tosses your way.
