Cynthia (age 61) and Sebastian (age 66) are facing dual diagnoses. He has been diagnosed with early- to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease, while Cynthia suffers from the debilitating effects of chronic autoimmune disease. She was referred to the LCAP team by her attorney.
What if Something Happens to Me?
Cynthia’s biggest fear was around what would happen to Sebastian, who would take care of him, and where he would live if her health declined. They lived in the suburbs, and have children in their early 20’s. Their most hopeful outcome would be to stay together in their family home and not have to put Sebastian in a memory care facility.
Cynthia arrived at the first meeting ready to talk about Medicaid planning, but the conversation expanded to a Lifecare Affordability Plan® (LCAP). Cynthia was a financially savvy investor who had accrued a large investment portfolio account with a bank, her former employer. We learned that she had smartly taken advantage of medical deductions and pulled money from Sebastian’s IRA to cover money spent on care. She also had worked with her attorney early on to establish an irrevocable trust, to prevent those funds from being jeopardized if the couple eventually needed Medicaid. The LCAP process empowered this couple to make a plan for continued long-term care.