Life Care Plan...What is it?
A Life Care Plan is a planning process that will change over time as you and your circumstances change. Your Life Care Plan is a road map that allows you to achieve your long-term care and asset protection goals. And, if changes occur along the way, our services are available to you to help you shift to another road if it becomes necessary.
A life care plan is a comprehensive method to evaluate and manage your life, utilizing all necessary services and resources. For a successful Life Care Plan we must understand your long-term health care goals and needs. Therefore, our practice is knowledgeable about community resources and eligibility for these resources. Additionally, we will identify and develop alternatives for your care consistent with your needs. Consequently, Life Care Plan represents the integration of these issues to meet your individual needs and goals.
Life Care Planning Goals
We help you develop and implement the three principal goals of Life Care Planning:
- You or your loved one's good health, safety, and well-being, whether that care is at home or outside the traditional home setting such as an assisted living facility or nursing home.
- We assist you, in making decisions, with your long term care needs and goals.
- We help you find sources to pay for quality long-term care and protect your assets.
The Life Care Plan will help you answer many questions you may have:
- What long-term care services are available to me?
- How can I get the good care I need and desire, whether in my own home, in a residential community or assisted-living facility, in my child's home, or in a nursing home?
- How will my financial and health care decisions be made for me if I cannot make them for myself?
- If I can't take care of myself, how will I make sure my spouse continues to have a good quality of life?
- Do I have to spend all of my money on the nursing home?
- How can I protect my assets to take care of my spouse, or to leave to my children?
- Who can I rely on to make sure that decisions, to be made, are the right ones?
- How do I assure my financial security as I get older?
- What public benefits am I entitled to, and what do I have to do to qualify for them?
- Should I rely on Medicaid or other government benefits to help pay for my care?
- How do I apply for benefits? What kinds of insurance policies do I need?
- Should I buy long-term care insurance?
- Should I join a Medicare HMO?
- How and when should I distribute my assets?
- Can I save taxes and avoid probate?
- How do I provide for family members with special needs?
What is a Care Advocate?
A Care Advocate is a professional, who specializes in assisting people and their families, attain the highest quality of life, given their circumstances.
A Care Advocate will:
- Conduct an assessment regarding your stage in life.
- Solve your problems or concerns.
- Identify in-home help or other services, if required. Identify specialists who will provide appropriate care, while conserving financial resources. Provide support, guidance, and advocacy.
- Help coordinate the transfer from home to a retirement complex, assisted living facility, or nursing home.
- Prepare and guide clients and families through the Medicaid application process.
What Does This Mean to You?
As a part of the Life Care Plan, a Care Advocate is assigned to help you and your families with your long-term care concerns. At the Law Office of David Wingate, P.C., your Care Advocate functions as the point of contact for you and assists you in coordinating services to help you take care of you or your loved one.
Your Care Advocate has extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of resources in the community. As you begin your journey through the long-term care system, it is helpful to have a supportive and knowledgeable advocate to accompany you along the way. Your Life Care Plan is customized to fit your desires, needs and goals. Your Life Care Plan includes all necessary legal documents, consultations, and other services, including the services of our care advocates, necessary to implement your "Roadmap for Life."