Life Care Planning

What is a Life Care Plan?

The Life Care Plan is a document that has been used widely in the United States since the 1980’s to assist the legal profession in estimating the cost of lifetime care for a person with a disability.

The Life Care Plan estimates medical and non-medical needs of a person who has sustained either a catastrophic injury and/or a person who has acquired a disability from birth.

The Life Care Plan is a dynamic document that is tailored to the individual need and takes into consideration important factors such as lifestyle choices, co-existing medical diagnoses and possible future complications of the illness or injury.

Each plan is systematically researched to ensure that the individual’s unique circumstances are accounted for.

The Life Care Plan can assist to:

• Formulate lifetime medical and non-medical costs for the individual who has sustained a catastrophic injury or who has a significant disability;
  
  
• Set Reserve Estimates for insurance companies;
  
  
• Provide a basis for making legal settlement offers and assist with mediation;
  
  
• Provide a long-term care plan for those who require lifetime medical services. This plan can be used as a case management tool; and
  
  
• Provide a framework to help manage funds from a compensation payout.

The Lighthouse Health Group is the only healthcare consultancy in Australia to employ a Certified Nurse Life Care Planner.

Jane van Groningen - RN BA MN (rehab) has over 15 years direct experience working in the field of rehabilitation nursing and planning in Australia and the United States. She continues to be mentored by an Internationally Certified Life Care Planner with over 20 years experience in developing Life Care Plans for government agencies and both plaintiff and defense law firms.