The most important feature of an effective chronic care plan is that it is proactive. That is the way our special Chronic Care Advocacy model works. We develop a thorough life care plan before you need it.
Unfortunately, most plans are not developed until an elder is facing a crisis created by the need for nursing care. Until the crisis—which typically happens late in the elder’s life—the burden of researching, coordinating, and delivering care for the elder falls completely on the primary caregiver.

If you are like most people, this may be the first time you have had to deal with the problems that come with aging, disability, or chronic illness. You may have been shouldering the burden alone. You might feel confused and burnt out by trying to coordinate and deliver care for months or years. What happens when it all becomes too much? You are in crisis, on many levels:

	Care Crisis
	You realize you have to make immediate arrangements for long-term care to protect your loved one’s health and safety, without the benefit of time and careful consideration of all available options.
	Financial Crisis
	You do not know how much long-term care will cost and how to pay for it without going broke. You may not know if your loved one is eligible for Medicaid, veterans' benefits, or other entitlement programs, or how to apply for them.
	Legal Crisis
	You realize your loved one did not execute their estate and incapacity documents while they were well, and you will now have to attempt to do so to act on their behalf. If you are unable to execute their documents, are you prepared for guardianship litigation?
	Emotional Crisis
	You realize that the loved one you worked so hard to care for needs more help than you can give. You may feel overwhelmed by the flood of emotions you experience.
	Relationship Crisis
	The pressure of making long-term care decisions increases, and old family conflicts may reappear. Family harmony can be broken irrevocably.