Long Term Care Planning: Planning For The Future

Long term care planning can save you a lot of time and money. By planning in advance, you are taking care of the possibility that you or someone you love may no longer have the ability to take care of their own affairs. It is not something anyone wants to think about, but in some cases, we have no choice but to consider the option.

Now, if you think about the state of social security and other government funding, it is even more crucial to take care of long term care planning now and hope you may not need it in the future. However, if it is needed, it will be there and you will be thankful that you took the time and effort to start planning now.

Why should you consider long term care planning for yourself now? Well, think about it. If you do not do it, who will? It will likely be your children or grandchildren, depending on your age. If you are younger and something happens where long term care is a possibility, your parents or spouse. Without planning, these people will have no idea how you would rather spend your days or where you would like to live. You are leaving these decisions to someone else and you could take the time now to plan, just in case.

Planning now allows you to discover your own path and choose the way you would like things to run. Maybe you would rather have in home long term care, where you could still stay at home, but get the care you need. Maybe a nursing home or other long term care facility would be more suitable for you, planning now allows you to check out the various options and make your decisions accordingly.

Some things you should consider and take care of with long term care planning include:

• Instructions and Documents – These outline your wishes and give instructions as to what you would like to see happen. This includes property disposition, medical treatments, and end of life wishes.

• Care Advocate – It is important to determine who you would like to be your care advocate now. This will designate the person who will look after the way your care operates if long term care is necessary.

• End of Life Planning- No one wants to do this, but it is sometimes necessary to ensure that your arrangements, where you would like to die, and other wishes are followed according to your desires.

• Legal Arrangements and Documents – Legal documents are necessary to ensure that everything is followed according to your wishes. This includes power of attorney and estate planning.

• Financial Information – You will want to provide a list of insurance plans, income, and assets that could assist in paying for your long term care planning.

• Create a Resource Book – This book should include any companies, doctors, and facilities to be given to family and car advocates.

• Checklist – This allows those involved to make the right choices for your care.

• Tell Your Family – It is ultimately important to communicate your long term care planning with your family and loved ones. This saves everything from being a surprise, if and when the time comes.

Long term care planning just makes sense and should be taken very seriously, you never know when anything could happen.