What To Look For In A Life Care Planner
Experiencing a traumatic injury or receiving a debilitating illness diagnosis can turn a person’s world upside down. Once the initial shock wears off, a whirlwind of treatments begins. Over time, the treatment plan may change and evolve. In some situations, the time may come when it is necessary to consider long-term care plans. Having an expert assist with this planning can help an individual secure a quality of life for their future.
What Does a Life Care Planner Do?
A life care planner assesses an injured individual’s medical condition to formulate a plan for future care. Typically, they work with individuals who have suffered a catastrophic injury, debilitating disease, or another medical issue that requires ongoing long-term care. A life care planner clarifies the rationale, duration, frequency, and expense of required care.
Reasons to Hire a Life Care Planner
Hiring a life planner helps to ensure that an individual needing ongoing care secures the financial resources necessary. Life care planners prepare comprehensive care plans that address an individual's specific care needs and how they might evolve.
Personal Injury Attorneys
When working with a personal injury attorney, a life care planner provides answers about their client’s condition and future care needs. Collaboration with treating doctors and medical professionals is crucial for establishing a comprehensive care plan.
Defense Attorneys
Life care planners can also work with defense attorneys. In this capacity, they review the injured plaintiff’s proposed life care plan. Then, through detailed analysis, the life care planner provides the defense attorney with an objective assessment based on life care standards established by the life care planning community.
Individuals
Some individuals can benefit from independently hiring a life care planner. This will provide them with guidance on establishing quality of life. The life care planner can advocate for the individual and assist them in navigating the complex medical system. In addition, life care planners often assist with planning for future care needs during retirement, divorce, or estate planning.
What You Should Expect From A Life Care Planner
Not all life planners approach their role in the same way. The life planner you work with should have a clear and understandable process. This reduces the stress you will feel throughout the process by helping you know what to expect.
Document Review
The document review process is crucial for the life planner to understand your situation and case. A thorough life care planner reviews educational, therapy, medical, and other relevant documents.
Assessment of Needs
Once the life care planner has a solid understanding of the injury and circumstances surrounding it, their next step should be to assess their client’s needs. This includes researching the injury and potential care needs.
Evaluee Meeting
Life care plans are about more than just data and statistics. A quality life care planner has compassion[KH1] . They should meet with the injured individual and their family. This helps them understand the family's unique needs and how they can impact future care needs.
Medical Collaboration
A life care planner consults treating professionals to ensure a care plan includes complete and comprehensive care. These individuals have intimate knowledge of an individual’s needs and what their future care might entail.
Cost Analysis
A life care planner performs a cost analysis with all information and data gathered. It is straightforward and objective based on the information gathered and industry standards.
Expert Testimony
If necessary, a life care planner can provide expert testimony to educate the involved parties on future care needs and vocational possibilities.
What To Look For In A Life Care Planner
As with attorneys and doctors, not all life care planners have the same knowledge, experience, or skill. Hiring the right life care planner can mean the difference between getting the care your client needs or suffering financially and physically. When considering a life care planner, ask about the specific services offered, typical injuries dealt with, qualifications, and reputation. This will help you narrow down your choice to a quality life care planner that you can trust.
Injuries Familiar With
Medical injuries and conditions can become quite complex. Because of this, you need someone with knowledge of your condition. Well-versed life care planners with years of experience have a broader range of experience. Some life care planners specialize in a particular area. Common injuries seen are:
- Amputations
- Brain injury
- Burns
- Chronic pain
- Neck and back injuries
- Organ transplantation
- Spinal cord injury
- Sexual abuse
- Toxin exposure
Certifications and Degrees
Typically, life care planners have a background in the medical field. They then transition into a life care planning role. Ask a potential life care planner what degrees and certifications they maintain. This helps you better understand their experience and knowledge base. Common credentials include registered nurse, nurse practitioner, medical doctor, chiropractor, rehabilitation counselor, physical/occupational/speech therapist, or psychologist. A life care planner with experience treating your type of injury better understands what it takes for proper treatment.
Professional Reputation
Life care planners must work with a wide range of professionals. Having a solid professional reputation for accountability and integrity is crucial. A life care planner that is respected for their work is more effective for their clients.
Compassion
All too often, life care planning becomes focused on data, statistics, and financials. These numbers are valuable, but they lack the human aspect of the situation. A life care planner with compassion is important because they remember the human element. Experiencing a catastrophic injury or debilitating illness is stressful and thinking about the future only makes things more chaotic. A compassionate life care planner brings comfort and calm to the situation by presenting a viable plan for a more secure future.
Hire a Life Care Planner To Assist
MacKenzie Life Care Planning specializes in helping clients cultivate quality of life. Its team of professionals have extensive rehabilitation backgrounds and research experience. By demonstrating integrity, accountability, and compassion, they maintain the highest standards possible for their clients. With a commitment to cultivating objective, evidence-based opinions, we serve personal injury attorneys, defense attorneys, and individuals.
Request a meeting with one of our life care planners to discuss your or your client’s needs.
Contact | MacKenzie Life Care Planning (mackenzieclcp.com)
