Planning for future needs

Planning for Future Needs in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Caring for a child or loved one with a disability in Grand Rapids comes with unique responsibilities, especially when you start thinking about their long‑term health, financial security, and quality of life. By planning ahead and putting legal, medical, and financial arrangements in place, you can feel more confident that your child or family member will be cared for in the future—through Michigan’s seasons, changing health needs, and life transitions.

This guide focuses on future care planning in Grand Rapids, MI, including local healthcare and community resources that can support your family.

Why Future Planning Matters for Families Living With Disability

If you have a disability yourself, or you’re caring for someone with a disability, you can make decisions now that will guide:

The type of healthcare and medical treatment you or your child receive
Who makes decisions if you are no longer able to
How finances and benefits are managed over time

In Grand Rapids, families often work with local providers such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health to coordinate medical care and long‑term planning.

When planning for the future needs of your child with a disability, think about:

Their life goals and interests
Their ongoing and future health needs
Their level of independence now and in the future
How Michigan’s cold winters, ice, and seasonal changes may affect mobility, transportation, and care needs over time

Talking through these issues with your family, close friends, and health professionals will help you create a plan that everyone understands and supports. To avoid confusion or conflict later, make sure everything is written down clearly and that any legal documents are prepared correctly by a qualified professional.

Taking It One Step at a Time: Building a Future Care Plan

Future care planning can feel overwhelming, but breaking it into steps makes it more manageable.

Focus on the Person With a Disability

Keep the family member with a disability at the center of all decisions.
Involve them in discussions as much as possible, depending on their abilities and preferences.
Ask about their hopes, fears, and goals—for school, work, hobbies, or where they’d like to live.

Talk With Family, Friends, and Professionals

Discuss your ideas with other family members, close friends, and trusted health professionals.
Their perspectives can help you see options you may not have considered.
Ask your Grand Rapids primary care provider or pediatrician for guidance and referrals to specialists, social workers, or care coordinators.

Local support can come from:

Kent County Health Department – information on public health, immunizations, and community programs
Grand Rapids Public Health and community clinics – help connecting to local disability and support services

Think Across the Stages of Life

Your child may be a toddler, school‑aged, or a teenager now—but their needs will change as they move into adulthood and older age. Consider:

Childhood and school years – special education, therapies, transportation in winter
Transition to adulthood – job training, supported employment, college, or vocational programs
Adulthood – independent living, supported housing, healthcare coverage, mental health support
Later life – chronic conditions, mobility changes, home modifications, and caregiver support

In Michigan’s climate, you may also need to plan for:

Safe transportation in snow and ice
Home accessibility (ramps, railings, snow removal)
Access to telehealth services during winter storms or illness

Include Financial, Practical, and Lifestyle Factors

Think about the “big picture”:

Financial planning – savings, benefits, trusts, and long‑term supports
Practical needs – housing, transportation, daily care, assistive devices
Lifestyle – social connections, community activities in Grand Rapids, faith communities, recreation, and hobbies

Building a support network—including family, friends, neighbors, healthcare providers, and local disability services—will help maintain your vision for your child’s care over the long term.

Before you see a lawyer or financial advisor, clarify your long‑term goals and your child’s preferences. This will help you ask the right questions and choose options that fit your family.

Adapting Your Plan as Life Changes

Review Plans Regularly

Your situation, your child’s abilities, and available technology will change over time. Review your plans:

After major life events (illness, job change, move, death in the family)
When your child reaches new life stages (starting school, turning 18, moving out, starting work)
When Michigan or federal laws about disability benefits or healthcare change

Even if you plan to care for your child as long as possible, it’s essential to think about what will happen if you suddenly cannot—due to illness, injury, or death.

Talk openly with trusted family and friends about:

Who could step in to help care for your child
Where your child might live
How decisions will be made about healthcare, housing, and finances

Guardianship, Powers of Attorney, and Substitute Decision‑Makers

Guardianship and Financial Management

If your child is under 18, or if they are an adult who cannot manage their own affairs because of an intellectual or developmental disability, you may consider:

Guardian – makes decisions about health, treatment, lifestyle, and living arrangements
Financial manager or conservator – manages money, bills, and assets

In Michigan, these arrangements are typically set up through the probate court. A local attorney familiar with disability and elder law in Grand Rapids can explain your options.

Medical Power of Attorney (Healthcare Proxy)

You can also nominate someone to make healthcare decisions if you cannot:

An advance directive or durable power of attorney for healthcare (sometimes called a medical power of attorney) allows you to name a substitute decision‑maker.
This person can make treatment decisions on your behalf based on your values and written wishes.

In the event of your death, you can:

Use your will and other legal documents to name who should make decisions about your child’s care and finances.
Work with a Michigan attorney to ensure these documents are legally valid and reflect your intentions.

Local legal help:

Grand Rapids–based elder law and disability law attorneys
Legal aid organizations serving Kent County

Financial Planning for a Child With a Disability

Questions to Consider Before Meeting a Legal or Financial Advisor

Before you talk with a lawyer or financial planner, think about:

What are your child’s hopes and interests (music, food, hobbies, movies, faith community, social activities)?
What is their current level of independence?
Can they manage their own money now—or with support?
What kind of support services will they likely need as an adult in Grand Rapids?

When Your Child Can Manage Their Own Affairs

If your child has a physical disability but can understand information, communicate decisions, and manage money:

You can leave assets directly to them in your will.
They may be able to manage their own care, treatment, and finances with minimal support.

When Your Child Needs More Support

If your child has:

A serious intellectual disability, or
Significant communication challenges

you may want more structured plans, such as:

A special needs trust or other trust arrangement
Carefully written instructions in your will
A guardian or conservator to help manage decisions

Some families consider informal arrangements, such as leaving all money to a sibling who promises to care for the child with a disability. However, these informal plans can lead to miscommunication, conflict, or financial risk.

It is usually safer to:

Use a will to clearly state how funds should be used
Set up a trust to pay for ongoing health treatment, therapies, or support services

Protecting Disability Benefits and Income Support

If you leave financial assets such as:

A large lump‑sum payment
The family home
Investments or retirement accounts

directly to your child, it may affect their eligibility for disability benefits or income support programs.

To avoid unintended consequences:

Talk with your solicitor or financial advisor about Michigan and federal rules.
Ask how an inheritance could affect programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid.
Contact relevant agencies (for example, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) to understand how financial changes might impact your child’s benefits.

Using a trust or similar legal entity can help ensure your child:

Continues to receive money for disability support services, medical care, and daily living
Maintains eligibility for critical public benefits

Setting Up a Trust in Michigan

You can create a trust through your will that takes effect when you die:

A trustee is appointed to manage the money and assets in the trust.
The trustee makes decisions about how and when funds are used.

Choose a trustee who:

Understands your family situation
Shares your values about your child’s care
Is willing and able to manage the trust over time

Your attorney can explain options such as:

Third‑party special needs trusts
Other estate planning tools tailored to Michigan law

Planning for Your Own Future Health Needs

Whether you have a disability or are caring for someone with a disability, it’s important to think about how your future health may affect your family.

Advance Care Planning in Grand Rapids

Advance care planning helps ensure you receive the care you want if you become too ill or injured to speak for yourself. It can also reduce stress and confusion for your family.

Steps to consider:

Talk with your primary care provider (for example, at Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health) about your health outlook and possible future needs.
Discuss your wishes with your family and close friends.
Put your preferences in writing with an advance directive and durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Topics to discuss:

What level of medical intervention you would want (hospital care, intensive care, life support)
What quality of life is important to you
Where you would prefer to receive care (home, hospital, hospice, long‑term care facility)

Having these conversations and writing down your wishes will help your chosen decision‑maker feel more confident about decisions they may need to make on your behalf.

Getting Support at Home in Grand Rapids

As you or your family member with a disability age, you may notice:

Difficulty getting around, especially during snowy or icy Michigan winters
Challenges with household chores (laundry, cleaning, cooking)
Trouble caring for someone else while managing your own health

If you want to remain at home:

Ask your doctor or healthcare professional about local home support services.
Consider support workers who can help with personal care, housekeeping, transportation, or respite.

Local resources may include:

Home health agencies affiliated with Grand Rapids hospitals
Community support programs connected to the Kent County Health Department
Nonprofit organizations and faith‑based groups offering in‑home support, meal delivery, or wellness checks

Thinking About Supported Accommodation and Aged Care

Leaving independent living and moving into supported accommodation or an aged care facility can be a difficult transition.

There are many types of supported residential services and long‑term care options in and around Grand Rapids and West Michigan, including:

Assisted living facilities
Group homes for adults with disabilities
Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities
Specialized memory care units

Young People With Disabilities in Aged Care

Many people with disabilities eventually move into residential aged care facilities, but these settings are often not ideal for younger people.

If you are caring for a younger person with a disability:

Talk to your doctor about alternatives.
Ask about local disability support services, including those coordinated through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and regional disability networks.

Important Lifestyle and Aging Decisions

As you get older, you will face several major decisions:

How long can you safely live independently at home?
What will you do if you lose a partner or primary caregiver?
When is the right time to move into supported accommodation?

These questions require careful thought and honest conversations.

Talk with your family about your needs and expectations.
Ask what support they can realistically provide, especially considering work, distance, and their own health.
Be open and honest—this can help you find solutions that work for everyone.

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, MI

You don’t have to make these decisions alone. For planning your future care and your child’s future needs, consider reaching out to:

Your GP (primary care doctor) – for medical guidance, referrals, and advance care planning
Your healthcare team – specialists, social workers, care coordinators at Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
Kent County Health Department / Grand Rapids Public Health resources – for community programs and public health information
A lawyer – especially one experienced in Michigan disability law, estate planning, and guardianship
A financial advisor – for long‑term financial planning, trusts, and benefit protection
Palliative care services and hospice programs – for support with serious illness and end‑of‑life planning

Key Points for Grand Rapids Families Planning for the Future

Build a strong support network of family, friends, healthcare providers, and local services to help care for your family member and maintain your long‑term vision.
Use clear legal documents—such as a will, trust, guardianship, and durable power of attorney for healthcare—to name substitute decision‑makers and guide treatment decisions.
Write a will and consider a trust so you can leave money or assets to your child in a way that supports their care, protects their benefits, and reduces the risk of family conflict.
Review and update your plans regularly as your child grows, your health changes, or Michigan laws and benefits are updated.

Thoughtful planning today can help ensure that you and your loved one with a disability receive the care, support, and dignity you deserve—through every season in Grand Rapids, Michigan.