CARING for a special needs child or adult is not cheap. Therapy, caregiving, medical costs, special equipment, special education and the like put tremendous pressure on the pockets of families.

How much money do you need to save for your child? Research on special needs suggest that these children and adults need 80 hours therapy per week. There is speech therapy, behaviour therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and academic help. And let’s not forget the various medical interventions required.

Should a parent do everything that the experts suggest, the bill would be J$1.4 million per year. Now, think about how much this could cost over the child’s lifetime.

In fact, it was recently reported in Parliament by Opposition Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles that 85 per cent of Jamaicans with disabilities are considered poor. Oftentimes, this occurs because there is no financial plan in place to care for people with special needs during or after the main caregiver is gone.

Transportation costs and therapy costs are the backbone of the effort parents make to give their special needs child a head start in life. And you make the sacrifice of money and time because you love that child. So what happens when you are in an accident or die? Are you sure there is someone who will also love your child and make the sacrifice to ensure that they get the therapy needed to have a good quality of life?

While medical care is free at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, the costs associated with travelling to the location is not. So if you get hurt, how will your child get help? What about therapy or caregiving?

For most people, planning ahead financially involves saving for retirement, saving for your child’s education, and possibly some life insurance to provide for your spouse or child if you were to die unexpectedly. However, when you have a child with special needs, there are a number of additional factors to consider.

One of the most common methods of funding this type of long-term care is through life insurance.

For more information regarding these topics and more, register for the September 13th Legal and Financial Planning Workshop hosted by the Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation and Financially Focused. You may register at www.specialneedsjamaica.com or call 978-0829.