Get Your Act Together -- Plan for Long Term Care
Here is a brief outline of the process of creating a long term care plan:
Providing Planning Documents and Instructions
Include sample planning documents to be given to family
members or trusted advisers. This includes instructions regarding wishes
pertaining to care preferences, wishes pertaining to end-of-life, wishes
concerning preferred medical treatments, desires for disposition of property
and instructions to the Care Advocate or Personal Care Representative. These
instructions do not replace formal legal documents designed for the same
purpose but will provide in one place the preferences further outlined in legal
documents. Family should be referred to legal documents if they exist.
Determining a Care
Advocate in Advance
The Care Advocate or
Personal Care Representative represents the interests of a loved one receiving
care. This person could also be the caregiver, a child, a friend or a trusted
adviser. This Care Advocate plays an important role in making caregiving
decisions, in arranging funding for services, in arranging services and in
coordinating care. The person could also be given responsibility with a power
of attorney or as a representative.
Planning for
End-Of-Life
Issues considered are preplanning of final arrangements,
expressing wishes for a place to die and information and instructions for
advance planning documents. Forms are provided for instructions on providing
these services.
Preparing Legal
Documents and End-Of-Life Arrangements
Detailed instructions on arranging estate planning documents
and establishing various powers of attorney. We recommend using an attorney.
Providing Financial Information for Future Care Costs
This form is provided to the family with a listing of
assets, income and insurance plans. Particular funding strategies for long-term
care services are detailed.
Providing Copies of
Checklists for All Involved in Care
Each checklist
provides specific instructions in a particular area of long-term care services
or provider settings. These instructions allow the caregiver and/or the Care
Advocate to make informed choices in choosing settings and services. The intent
is to save these people a great deal of time, heartache, stress and money in
choosing services and settings for the loved ones.
Making Your Wishes
Known
This final step is the most important. No plan has value
unless those involved in making the decisions are aware of it.