Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Life Care Planning And The Benefits

By Raymond Foster


A new program is now available for individuals effected by catastrophic disabilities due to injury or illness. The program known as life care planning often involves more action, research, and thought than other similar plans. Advanced directives, living wills and others tend to focus on end of life issues. Whereas, these new professionals and programs work with clients on an ongoing basis.

Each client works with a professional which establishes an evaluation to determine the severity of the disability or illness. Consideration given to clients in this type planning is quite intensive and relates to goals, needs and interests. Some clients may have multiple plans as each disability often requires a different set of components as clients age and progress.

Whether suffering one, or multiple disabilities, clients often work with more than one professional. Working with different providers is often common when it comes to these life based care programs. Whether due to age, changes in lifestyle, ill-health, or the resignation or retirement of a professional, there can be a number of different reasons for these changes over time.

Individuals with disabilities can often benefit a great deal from these type programs. Along with managing current issues and preventing potential problems, professionals often incorporate family and friends into the process. In doing so, clients have a network of support which includes emotional, medical and physical support on an ongoing basis.

Medical visits, physical therapy and occasional psychological counseling often go hand in hand with a disability. Use of these type programs can help clients better manage office visits, stay in shape and manage other areas of care over time. Professionals often review client evaluations, provide reports and recommend future treatment based on past results along with current research. While rare, there are some disabilities which can be overcome based on ongoing or future research.

Each client often has different needs based on the type of disability or disabilities one is dealing with at the time. As such, while most programs are consistent when it comes to setting up and completing an evaluation and developing a profile, there are often different options for support or treatment.

Developing an evaluation based on current health trends and medical needs, and establishing a profile for future needs is an essential part of the process. A good example of what might be needed in the future as a client ages are food delivery and transportation, wheelchairs and other medical equipment and services. Research is also an essential part of the process as some relevant research has been known to help individuals overcome, or, at least lessen the effects of a disability over time.

While some individuals find these programs comforting, others find that focusing on the present is better than planning for the future. Whereas, in some cases knowing what to expect can often help one better understand and prepare for changes which have been known to happen to others with similar disabilities. Regardless, it is up to each individual to decide for oneself or a family member as to what type medical care and planning is right at each moment in time.




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