What is a Life Care Plan (LCP)?

A life care plan is a comprehensive, dynamic document that outlines the long-term care and support needs of an individual who has sustained a catastrophic injury or has a chronic illness. It details the medical, psychological, rehabilitation, and personal care services required to manage the individual’s condition and improve their quality of life. Life care plans are used in legal, medical, and financial contexts to ensure that the individual receives appropriate care over their lifetime.

Here are the key components and purposes of a life care plan.

-Medical Needs: Evaluation of ongoing and future medical treatments, including surgeries, medications, therapies, and routine medical care.

-Rehabilitation Services: Assessment of the need for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and other rehabilitation services.

-Assistive Devices and Equipment: Identification of required medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, home modifications (e.g., ramps, accessible bathrooms), and other assistive devices.

Personal Care and Support Services: Determination of the need for personal care attendants, nursing care, and other support services to assist with daily living activities.

-Transportation Needs: Evaluation of transportation requirements, including modifications to vehicles or the need for specialized transportation services.

-Home Modifications: Assessment of necessary changes to the home environment to accommodate the individual’s physical limitations and ensure accessibility.

-Educational and Vocational Training: Estimation of costs for education or vocational training if the injury or illness affects the individual’s ability to work in their previous capacity.

-Psychological and Emotional Support: Consideration of the need for psychological counseling, support groups, and other mental health services.

-Lifespan Considerations: Estimation of the duration of care needs based on life expectancy and the progression of the condition.

Who Needs a Life Care Plan?

A life care plan is typically needed by individuals who have suffered a significant injury or illness that will require ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and support services. This assessment is often used in legal and insurance contexts to determine the resources needed to cover the injured person’s future care expenses. It is typically used in more complex and catastrophic cases that require a more extensive CFC report. The report serves as an outline for the future in terms of their overall care needs and maintenance.

Here are some specific situations where a cost of future care assessment may be necessary:

• Personal Injury Cases: Individuals who have sustained serious injuries in accidents (e.g., car accidents, workplace accidents) may need an assessment to determine the future medical and rehabilitation costs.
• Medical Malpractice: Patients who have been harmed due to medical negligence may require an assessment to evaluate the cost of ongoing and future medical care.
• Workers’ Compensation Claims: Employees injured on the job may need an assessment to establish the future care costs associated with their injuries.
• Disability Claims: Individuals applying for disability benefits might need an assessment to document the extent and cost of their future care needs.
• Catastrophic Injury Cases: Those with life-altering injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or severe burns, often require detailed future care assessments.
• Long-Term Care Planning: Elderly individuals or those with chronic conditions may need an assessment to plan for long-term care needs and associated costs.
• Family Law Cases: In some divorce or custody cases involving a child or spouse with special needs, an assessment may be necessary to determine the future care costs and responsibilities.

These assessments are conducted by occupational therapists/life care planners, who evaluate the individual’s current and future care requirements and estimate the associated costs.

Why Choose Ommi Health for Your Life Care Plan?

Ommi Health is led by Simone Szarkiewicz, who has extensive expertise in life care plans and is a qualified expert witness in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in the areas of occupational therapy and life care plans.

Our team is experienced with preparing detailed reports and providing consultation that legal teams, employers and insurance companies require for their cases.

We look closer. Our assessments are multi-faceted and provide the full picture of someone’s medical case from a physical, mental and cognitive health perspective.

Simone Szarkiewicz is known for her approachability, assessments and quality reports that capture the big picture of complex medical legal cases. She leads her team of consultant occupational therapists with Nicole’s extensive industry experience and superior level of customer care.