Life Care Planning

Health care here in America is driven by makeshift of services and financing. Now, there is a new element in health care. In truth, it not all that new. Life care planning is an idea that initiated with legal cases in which care needs and costs developed due to a catastrophic injury. The plan addresses the changes and needs relating to expenses of individual with a long-term, severe or chronic health care condition as result of an injury. Planner’s define the life care plan as dynamic document based upon published standards of practice of comprehensive assessment, data analysis and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experience catastrophic injury or

In most cases a case manager or rehabilitation specialist, however, professionals who practice life care planning come from various paths. But their experience is based on “hands-on” in rehabilitation or disability case management. Life care plans began as devices of case management, mainly about complex medical cases. The concept is to address negative effects associated in the care of clients with complex care needs. The life care planner evaluates clients with a disability or severe health condition to summarize the needs created by the disability. The planner creates and integrate a plan that includes items and services with specific cost, the plan address current and future needs of the client to include cost. Life care planning is a global practice, meaning it is practice throughout the world. The only difference is related to legal and/ or health care systems. However, the method used in developing life care plan is the same if its legal or medical, but the focus is placed on the client and their needs to include patient goals. (Life Care Planning FAQ,

The plaintiff attorney must prove to the opposing side the obligation to pay money for damages, and persuade how much of the damages to award. Versus the defense attorney who disputes the claim or attempts to prove parts of the life care plan is faulty. If the plaintiff ’s attorney is not certain about the future care needs of the client, the attorney cannot seek an amount for damages. To be effective, the plaintiff attorney must convince the defense attorney of the truth of the case. The life care plan is a crucial part of the process. Appropriately done, the life care plan will convince the defense attorney. When the plan is presented to the jury, they will award damages to the client if it is properly prepared. After the case, has been decided the plaintiff attorney, may consider whether the life care plan was written in the best possible manner and will sustain his client for the remainder of the client life. (Elliott,