A life care plan can be overwhelming, but a care coordinator can provide the guidance and support you need. Learn about the role of a care coordinator and how they can help you create a plan that works for you.

What Is a Life Care Plan?

A Life Care Plan helps you get the best possible care for your loved one in the least restrictive environment–while preserving your loved one’s wealth to the greatest extent possible.

Bundling asset protection, public benefits qualification, care coordination, nursing home advocacy, and crisis intervention services into a convenient package, a Life Care Plan is the ultimate protection for elders and those who love them.

What Is a Care Coordinator?

A care coordinator is a healthcare professional who helps patients and their families navigate the healthcare system and coordinate their care.

They work with doctors, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare providers to develop and implement a comprehensive care plan that meets the patient’s needs. This may include arranging for medical appointments, coordinating home care services, and providing education and support to the patient and their family.

A care coordinator may also be involved in developing a life care plan for patients with chronic or complex medical conditions.

 

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The Benefits of a Care Coordinator – One Couple’s Story

Recently, we received a call from Mary (*not her real name*). Mary’s husband, Wade (*not his real name*), was in the hospital. Mary called us because we prepared their estate planning documents with us and she needed an interpretation of a Trust they executed to determine how payments for Wade’s care could be made.

Mary and Wade’s Story

Mary, who is in her 80s, was very overwhelmed with dealing with the medical professionals, and Mary and Wade’s children, although attentive and involved, all had busy jobs and families of their own. When I explained to Mary that we have a Care Coordinator on staff who could help her, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Now she could focus on spending time by Wade’s side at the hospital instead of dealing with the paperwork and discharge plans and finding an appropriate rehabilitation facility for Wade.

You see, Mary assumed Wade would be discharged to the rehab facility that was closest to her home. Luckily, Mary made the decision to retain us to provide Wade with a Life Care Plan solution.

 

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Care Coordinator To The Rescue

Because when our Care Coordinator, Elena, called that facility, they told her that they did not have a bed but since Mary had contacted them, they were going to place Wade at one of their sister facilities, which was 40 miles from Mary’s home.

Elena (who, by the way, was on vacation when this happened) immediately got on the phone and found Wade a bed in a wonderful facility in Mary’s hometown. Had Mary attempted to work on Wade’s discharge plan on her own, he would likely have been shipped to the facility 40 miles away.

Unfortunately, this is not an unusual case, because the hospitals are under such financial pressure to discharge patients when Medicare stops paying. This is merely one example of why professional advocacy is so important.

If you or someone you know would benefit from a Life Care Plan or you are a professional who would like to learn more about Life Care Planning for your own clients, please contact us.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice and is for general informational purposes only.

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