Long Term Care Specialist
CurrentAs a long term care specialist, I have the privilege of helping families and individuals prepare for the future. My practice, while broad in capability, focuses almost exclusively on empowering clients to craft long-term care plans. I am deeply passionate about this specific facet of financial advising. When I first felt called to focus on long-term care planning, I sat down and wrote a letter to myself in the voice of my dad. In it, I captured all the details and direction he might have given me had he documented his extended care wishes in writing. This letter is the paradigm I use to frame the long-term care planning process with my clients. Like a letter from a parent to a child, planning extended care is intensely personal. Inherent in the process is the emotional, relational nature of a family. By describing their preferences for care within the context of their unique family situations, my clients provide their loved ones with an invaluable guidepost for managing care decisions when the time comes. In my conversations with clients, we discuss the specifics—from how the cost of care will be covered to who will be responsible for various aspects of care and which type of care is preferable. These discussions can feel uncomfortable at first, but they are so important. My vision for the future is that writing long-term care letters will become as commonplace as preparing a will. In addition to my one-on-one work with clients, I also welcome opportunities to speak to offices and large groups. To me, providing resources for long-term care planning is just as impactful for employees as offering retirement benefits. I am always eager to train others about the importance of including long-term care planning within a well-rounded financial plan. If I can be of assistance to you or your family or if I can provide focused support to your clients or employees, please reach out. barbara.deberry@nm.com919-489-6505www.barbaradeberry.com
