Handle With Care:

Life Care Planning for Individuals with Special Needs

• Do you have a dependent loved one living with a chronic developmental or mental disability?
• Are you concerned about the system’s ability to maximize your child’s potential so that he/she can live a full, healthy and productive life?
• Are you concerned what will happen if you or other family members should become unable to provide care or oversight to your child?
• Are you concerned how you will be able to continue financing the supportive services necessary to maintain your child’s well being?
• Is your child benefiting from all of the entitlements available to him/her?
• Are you fully apprised of long term costs associated with living a life with disability?

Planning for the future of an individual with special needs can be a complicated process. Whether suffering from a developmental disability or a chronic mental health condition, the support required to enhance one’s independence and acuity, and to assure their health and safety to the maximum level over a lifetime, is great. Aside from planning for the management of daily tasks of life and growth into adulthood, planning for the future of an individual with special needs requires additional, in-depth knowledge of the federal laws as they pertain to government benefit eligibility, probate laws as related to Advanced Directives, special needs trusts and guardianship’s. The best possible plans will incorporate estate planning professionals including financial planners and attorneys, many of whom concentrate their practices in the arena of special needs.

The Special Needs Life Care Plan provided by Lifecare Innovations is a working document that provides accurate and timely information which can be easily used by the client and interested parties, can be updated, and can serve as a lifelong guide to assist in the delivery of services and support in an organized fashion.

A well coordinated and fluid plan for a person with special needs encompasses all of the factors below and more.

• Financial— forecasting costs of care, housing, equipment, vehicles and additional necessities on a monthly and annualized basis;
• Legal— reviewing estate planning, guardianship or less restrictive alternatives, and  special needs trusts to ensure the future of a person with Special Needs;

• Government—identifying and supplementing government benefits, such as insurance, residential services, supported employment, and respite care;
• Family and support— determining parental and extended family members’ abilities, willingness and contributions to care and emotional support short term, long term and on temporary and respite bases;
• Psychosocial— Gauging familial & extended support systems, life skills, coping skills, management of emotions and manifestations of psychiatric disorders, behavioral coaching and planning, recreational access and quality of life;
• Vocational– evaluating school systems to assure proactive, age appropriate and reality based assessments, interventions, Individualized Education and Transitional Plans, job coaching, employment support;
• Medical and physical– ensuring access to affordable, timely and appropriate care and equipment, maximizing physical independence and maintenance of physical functioning