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Planning for the Future of
Your Disabled Dependent After You're Gone
This is not an easy task. It can overwhelm you with the array of considerations, the uncertainty of their impact, and the unpleasant reminder that one day you may no longer be able to provide necessary care. It is important, nonetheless, that you plan. If you don’t, someone else may make arrangements that you would not have made or are not consistent with your wishes to ensure the protection of your dependent. You owe it to yourself for your own peace of mind and for your dependent’s quality of life.
Planning doesn’t have to be an overwhelming problem. Help is available – of varying types and costs, depending on your situation. The INTO THE FUTURE workbook will help you start learning what is needed and available for your dependent's special needs. It will result in a collection of information designed to help other persons implement your wishes. It takes you through topics such as:
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- Where will your dependent live?
- How will knowledge of your dependent’s daily habits
and preferences be preserved and passed on? |
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- Beyond basic medical care, what is needed to ensure
emotional and social well-being?
- How to provide for educational or vocational needs?
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- Is there need for guardianship services? What type?
and advocacy
- What should a guardian know about your dependent?
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- How much money will be needed?
- What resources are available?
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- What legal arrangements are best?
- Where to find appropriate legal assistance?
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Completing the INTO THE FUTURE workbook is the first step towards a long-term care plan for your disabled dependent. It asks for details in many important areas related to future care of your dependent and explains issues such as guardianship, trusts, and government benefits, as well as financial and legal arrangements that may be required. Your responses are placed in a single location for ease of access by future caregivers and consultants. The workbook provides the basis for taking further steps, as you see necessary, to complete a comprehensive and dependable plan.
GETTING STARTED WITH THE INTO THE FUTURE WORKBOOK
The workbook is divided into eight sections. Try to complete one section at a time. Take breaks as necessary. Remember it is more important to be thorough than to be swift.
Some questions may be very difficult to answer. Don’t struggle with your response – enter your best reasonable thoughts, make notations of what is needed to answer the question, and come back to it later with a fresh mind. Complex questions usually do not have simple answers.
Since every person's situation is different, you may find some questions do not apply to you. Make notations to that effect, possibly explaining why, and go on.
Find a quiet, comfortable place to work where you have access to address books, records, or documents you will want for reference. Review the entire workbook to get an idea of what information is required. Have a notepad on hand to jot down questions you need to return to later. The workbook comes in a loose-leaf binder so you can insert additional pages, as needed, or add copies of actual records when that is easier.
To facilitate updating, make your entries in pencil or else retain an extra blank copy of the workbook for updating. Insert new records as they become available.
AFTER COMPLETING THE INTO THE FUTURE WORKBOOK
Having completed the workbook to the best of your ability, you are now prepared to take the next step of seeking help in those areas where you need more information or assistance. If you received the workbook from a professional advisor, return the appropriate parts of the workbook to that person. It is exactly the information he or she requires for working with you on your dependent’s long-term care needs. Or, if you have no professional advisor, consider contacting those with expertise where the workbook indicates areas of greatest uncertainty or future difficulty. The best future care of your dependent will be a team effort involving, as appropriate, competent medical and mental health professionals, attorneys (especially Elder Law attorneys), certified public accountants, long-term care planners, and financial advisors.
Frequently, cost concerns discourage caregivers from planning ahead. Costs can be less than feared, however, if planning is done efficiently by using this workbook and by starting early before needs escalate.
Keep the workbook up to date and share its contents and location with those who might benefit from it in the future.
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Current Living Situation: Describe your dependent's current living arrangement. After describing the current situation, note key advantages or disadvantages of this arrangement. |
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Type of Facility (family home, group home, nursing home, hospital, etc.) |
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Owner / Operator of Facility (include address & phone numbers) |
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Special Physical or Cognitive Accommodations (type of room, bath, etc.) |
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How Paid (amount, what is included, payer's name, address & phone numbers) |
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Accessibility to Outside Services (such as medical care, shopping, entertainment, religious services, etc.) |
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Degree of Supervision (if any social worker or guardian, include names, addresses & phone numbers) |
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People Associated with on Daily Basis (include fellow residents, caregivers & professional staff with names & relationships) |
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Advantages & Disadvantages |
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[Insert extra pages as needed to describe current living arrangement.]
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Overall Outlook: Summarize your overall expectations and goals for your dependent in the coming years. Specifically mention any goals or recommendations that are in addition to those previously mentioned in your comments on future educational needs and plans (page 6), future living arrangements (page 8), future work and day programs (page 14) and future medical care (page 22).
Consider both current things you want maintained into the future and changes you want achieved in the future. This is the place to express any personal hopes concerning your dependent and his or her care after you are gone. It is another opportunity to educate future caregivers with your personal knowledge of your dependent. |
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Expected Status or Changes in the Next 12 Months (including changes in self-supervision) |
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Expected Status or Changes 2 to 3 Years From Now (including changes in self-supervision) |
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Expected Status or Changes 5 Years From Now (including changes in self-supervision) |
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Expected Status or Changes 10 Years From Now (including changes in self-supervision) |
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Expected Status or Changes 20 Years From Now (including changes in self-supervision) |
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Price:
$35.00
Quantity: ◊
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