By Pati Bedwell
Most of us grow up knowing (or being told) that we will help our loved ones age gracefully. Keeping them at home is usually everyone’s goal, but sometimes, care needs trump that goal. Placing a loved one in a nursing home is a difficult thing to do, but sometimes it’s the only option. Now, instead of being a hands-on care giver, you are the care manager responsible for overseeing the care your loved one receives. Though that should not be a difficult job, sometimes the care your loved one receives at the facility isn’t as good as the care he or she was receiving at home.
Though most of us have heard stories about nursing homes, many of us haven’t ever been to one. If you’re like many people, the first time you walk into a nursing home is the day you are admitting a loved one. It’s a difficult time. There are so many emotions—and even more paperwork to wade through—but you get through it and your loved one is settled into their room. You breathe a sigh of relief and know you’ve done the right thing. Hopefully, from then on, things go well, but what happens if they don’t? Sometimes there are problems, issues, and concerns. This is new territory for most of us. When things go wrong, where do you go for help? How do you navigate this new world?
Very few people would think to call a law firm for assistance with these kinds of concerns, but if you work with a Life Care Planning Law Firm, that’s just what you would do. Aside from attorneys, a Life Care Planning Law Firm employs a host of specialists, including Elder Care Coordinators and Public Benefits Specialists, who have the knowledge and experience to help you navigate through the long-term care maze. Here’s how a Life Care Planning firm would help a family who finds themselves in the above situation.
When you’re a Life Care Planning Law Firm client, the Elder Care Coordinator should be one of the first people called when something comes up with the elder. If the elder is in the hospital, the Elder Care Coordinator will help to make sure the elder is on track to get whatever services are needed. If the elder needs therapy, the Elder Care Coordinator will help to see the elder is discharged to a skilled facility for rehab. The Elder Care Coordinator has knowledge about the facilities and the care they provide, so clients can expect a recommendation to a good facility, one that’s as convenient for the family as possible.
The Life Care Planning Law Firm staff work as a team, so once your loved one is placed, the team will discuss what’s next with you and your family. Is this a short- or long-term placement for your loved one? Do we need to look at securing financial assistance? If your loved one is going home after rehab, will in-home services be needed? What agency do you call for that? What if the agency doesn’t work out?
These are just a few of the questions a Life Care Planning Law Firm can answer.
Caring for an aging loved one is a journey, and you can expect that journey to be punctuated by twists and turns. A Life Care Planning Law Firm represents clients over a period of time, which means that you’ll have a team of experts by your side during every step of the way. Families love the support, and you will, too.
Pati Bedwell is an Elder Care Coordinator at Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law, a Life Care Planning Law Firm in Hendersonville, Tennessee.