Life Care Planning

Since the early 1990’s RSA has developed Life Care Plans that project the specific long-term needs and associated costs of care and goods for individuals with catastrophic injuries, life-altering disabilities, and chronic illness.

A Life Care Plan has been defined as “dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis and research which provides an organized concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs” (Weed, 2004).

RSA Life Care Plans are carefully developed using accepted, defensible methodology. Review of medical records and other documentation, client/family interviews, home assessments, consultative input, and identification and costs of available resources to meet identified needs are central elements to life care planning process

RSA Life Care Plans comprehensively detail the costs associated with the goods and services to be required over the lifetime of an individual with a catastrophic disability including possible items from the following areas:

Projected Evaluations: Non-physician evaluations such as Physical and/or occupational therapy evaluations; driver evaluations; psychological evaluations; recreational evaluations, etc.

Projected Therapies: Physical and/or occupational therapy; mental health counseling; case management, etc.

• Diagnostic Testing/Educational Assessment: including neuropsychological, vocational evaluation, and in the case of children, psycho-educational testing, educational consultants, etc.
• Wheelchairs / Mobility / Maintenance / Accessories: manual chairs, power chairs, shower chairs, backup shares, cushions, batteries etc.
• Orthotics and/or Prosthetics: repair, maintenance, and supplies
• Orthopedic Equipment and/or Other Durable Medical Equipment: walkers, canes, crutches, bath chairs, lifts, cushions, etc…
• Aids for Independent Function: adaptive cutlery, one-handed keyboards, augmentative communication, voice-activated software, environmental control systems, etc.
• Home Furnishing and Accessories: specialty beds and mattresses, patient lifts, bath bench/chair, lift chair, etc.
• Medication and Supplies: prescription and nonprescription drugs such as anti-depressants, pain medication, over-the-counter medications (Advil, Tylenol), catheters, bowel or bladder program supplies, disposable gloves, diapers, crutch tips, etc.
• Home and/or Facility Care: personal assistance services, home health care needs, etc.
• Routine Future Medical Care: physiatrist, orthopedics, plastic surgeon, urologist, primary care, etc.
• Aggressive Treatments, Surgeries, Treatment of Complications: functional electrical stimulation, decubitus ulcer closure, scar removal, tendon releases, revision surgery for boney growths, inpatient pain management programming, etc.
• Architectural Renovation and Home Modification: accessibility evaluations, bathroom modifications for safety and accessibility, entry/egress accessibility, ramps, kitchen modifications, etc.
• Health and Strength Maintenance: specialty recreation needs, hunting and fishing adaptive equipment, card shuffler, cardholder, outriggers for snow skiing, exercise equipment, health club memberships, etc.
• Transportation and Vehicle Modifications: hand controls, left foot extender, wheelchair lockdowns, an accessible van with a wheelchair lift, etc.
• Vocational Services/Education Plan vocational counseling, vocational rehabilitation case management, job placement, job coaching, vocational training programs, etc.

Since each Life Care Plan is individualized based upon the needs of a particular individual, not every area outlined above would be relevant for a particular individual

How are Life Care Plans used?

Life Care Plans can be helpful in several situations:

• Plaintiff and defense attorneys use life care plans to assist in understanding and communicating general damages in catastrophic injury cases.
• Insurance companies use life care plans in planning cost and payout time frames for insured.
• Individuals and families use life care plans to help with planning, resource identification, and healthcare-related money management.

Jack is a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) in the United States and has testified in depositions, courtrooms, and mediations regarding the plans he has developed.