Years of experience in management of long-term care crises is enough to convince anyone of the importance of planning. Working in the area of elder law generally and nursing home crisis situations in particular leads me to emphasize the importance of developing a plan for health care, finances and family to last through the retirement years. This type of planning is increasingly known as “life care planning.”

Life care planning is a comprehensive retirement, estate, and lifestyle plan. It encompasses all facets of estate planning, asset protection, health care, and retirement. The objectives of this planning can be as varied as the individual family, but in general the goal is to maximize resources, preserve independence, and avoid crises. Having assisted many families though nursing home crises, I am convinced that problems resulting from caregiver burnout, insufficient or inadequate health care, probate court fees, and financial waste can be greatly reduced or even eliminated with proper planning.

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