No one wants to think about the inevitable, but you can’t deny the truth forever. One day, you will no longer be on this planet. To ensure your family will be taken care of when you are no longer with them, it is crucial to put a life care plan in place. The last thing you want to do is leave your family scrambling to survive after you are gone.
What Is a Life Care Plan?
Before putting a life care plan together, it is beneficial to understand what it is. In essence, this plan will define, prioritize, organize and mobilize every aspect of your care when you get older. It ensures that you are taken care of according to your wishes and that your family is also taken care of when you are incapacitated or gone.
The goals of a life care plan are the following:
- To ensure you get the proper care if you become sick. This care could happen within your home or at a facility; you decide what is best for you;
- To find public and private sources to fund and pay for long-term care. The cost of healthcare continues to rise, and you need to make sure you have the money to cover the expenses;
- To give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind. You and your family need reassurance that everyone will be taken care of and that the family resources are preserved.
Things to Consider When Putting Together Your Life Care Plan
Now that you have a better idea of what a life care plan is, there are certain things you need to consider before you start the process. Talking to a life care planner expert is in your best interest, and they will help you put together the best plan for you and your family.
Some of the things you will discuss include the following:
Current Health Conditions
Being informed about your current health conditions and how they may or may not progress is essential for a life care plan. You may be healthy now, but will that last forever? What contingencies do you have in place if things take a turn for the worst?
If you happen to be in poor health, knowing where the money will be coming from to take care of you later in life is incredibly important.
Preferences for Future Care
How do you envision being taken care of later in life? Who do you want to make medical decisions for you if you cannot do it yourself? These are all things you need to consider to make sure you are doing what is best for yourself and the loved ones you leave behind.
Communicate Your Plan to Others
Not only should your life care plan be added to a legally binding document, but you also want to communicate your wishes verbally to others as well. It may not be the most exciting topic of conversation, but it is necessary if you want to ensure you are being taken care of properly.
It is your life. Make sure your wishes are fulfilled.
Revisit Your Plans From Time to Time
Life can change quickly, and what you originally decided to add to your life care plan may no longer apply to your situation. Revisiting your plan from time to time will ensure that it still fits your wants and needs based on your current and future life situation.
Do What Is Best for You
You may have a wish and desire to live forever, but that is not going to happen. Advancements in medical technology are extending life expectancies, but medical science has not cheated death yet. To ensure that you and your loved ones are taken care of at the end of your life, you need to make sure you put a life care plan in place.
With a law degree under his belt and years of experience, Mark Scott set off to make the law more accessible to all. He decided to help people lost in the maze of legal terminology to find their way. Mark writes clear and concise pieces and gives simple advice that is easy to follow. On account of positive feedback from readers, he decided to dedicate more of his time to this goal and became a legal columnist. In his writings, Mark covers a wide array of topics, like how to seek legal counsel, or how to deal with different procedures. Furthermore, he directs his readers toward other trustworthy resources for more in-depth information.
