Have you had that discomforting thought that moving to an assisted living or nursing home will be inevitable someday? And when you grow older and need help, there won’t be other options?
There is another way – one that is proving more and more successful each year at helping people live out the lives they want in the homes they choose.
Life Plan At Home Programs
For the last 20 years, there has been a growing movement across the country where retirement communities are offering what is called a Life Plan At Home program. There are more than 35 in operation currently, and Blakeford offers the only one in Middle Tennessee called LiveWell By Blakeford.
The goal of Life Plan At Home programs is to provide you with a comprehensive plan for aging in place (living at home as you age) – wellness, financing, and then, care when you need it. Moreover, the evidence resulting from Life Plan At Home programs looks very good, over the years. People who join a Life Plan At Home program before needing care, have a less than 5% chance of ever needing to move to an assisted living or nursing home.
Personal Care Coordination
The success of Life Plan At Home programs like LiveWell By Blakeford is in significant part due to the personal care coordinator who works directly with each member.
So what does a care coordinator do? The coordinator is the opposite of a 1-800 number experience (like what you receive with a long-term care insurance company). The care coordinator is local, visits with you at home, gets to know your life, even your dog, and helps you fulfill your plan. To top it all off, your Life Plan At Home program with LiveWell means you have access to care coordination assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. LiveWell offers this because you are healthy now, but you want a plan that is there for you when things become unpredictable.
Care Coordination in Action
Several LiveWell By Blakeford members have experienced the benefits of care coordination firsthand during a time of need. If it wasn’t already clear how critical this benefit is to the success of Life Plan at Home programs like LiveWell, care coordination becomes very real in that moment of need.
For example, an unexpected fall took one member to the emergency room for extensive plastic surgery around his eye, something that happened as a result of a routine day on the golf course – definitely not expected. All he had to do was make one phone call over the weekend and LiveWell was there to help. This was extremely valuable to this member for the response, the care, and support to his wife who was picking up all the pieces during the aftermath of this injurious event.
LiveWell has also recently helped several program members during planned joint replacement surgeries. Because of new insurance reimbursement plans, and post-acute care models, patients are being discharged quickly from hospitals which means that these individuals needed even more planning, advice, and support.
Although many LiveWell members tend to say, “I won’t need much help. I think I’ll be fine,” they are filled with relief and a sense of security when Jamie Irving, RN, the LiveWell care coordinator checks in with them at the hospital, rehab center and/or home. Following surgery, we then frequently hear our members say, “My wife had knee surgery, and I thought I could handle it alone, but I found it became more difficult than expected. Thank goodness LiveWell was there to help.”
Starting from planning surgery to getting back behind the wheel the first time, care coordination by LiveWell has proven an essential component to a successful recovery and beyond. Life Plan At Home programs like LiveWell are serious about our commitment to our members and providing expert care coordination, working with healthy new members and beyond.
Beyond Care Coordination
It’s always important to do your research about the advantages of Life Plan At Home programs and care coordination. Industry experts, Cathy Schweiger and James Clementson of Clifton Larson Allen, report that the full benefits of joining a Life Plan At Home program are:
- Consumers exert greater control and autonomy in decisions about their care and are free from the worries associated with becoming a burden to their children.
- A significant portion of the fees may be considered an itemized tax deduction for prepayment of future health care expenses.
- Benefits are frequently portable, allowing members the flexibility to relocate to be closer to loved ones.
- Services can be accessed on a temporary or permanent basis.
Long-term care insurance can be integrated with programs, either through providing care that is not covered by the insurance or by using it to reimburse program fees (once the long-term care insurance qualification is met). Members can choose from multiple contract options to best meet their needs and personal financial situation.
People in their 60s and 70s are at the right time of life to consider this planning option. Sometimes even people in their 80s can look into the benefits of a Life Plan At Home program. As long as you are healthy and independent, we recommend evaluating membership in a program like LiveWell to experience the full benefit of what a Life Plan At Home can offer.
The LiveWell By Blakeford community of 50+ program members is a capable and discerning bunch. They understand the costs of long-term care, and they have a clear lifestyle choice of living at home. Because they joined as healthy individuals, they will get to experience the full advantages of the Life Plan at Home program, living their lives successfully at home for a lifetime.