When we think of planning for our family’s future, the focus is usually on finances, a last will outlining after-death preferences and documents specifying the guardianship of minor children.
Yet for families with a loved one with disabilities, creating a plan to inform future caregivers of day-to-day activities and necessities is also a must.
Thanks to the efforts of Huntington Woods couple Debbie and Joel Pearlman who created the Dani Plan, there is now an online tool that enables parents and guardians of people with disabilities to build personalized plans that are simple, secure and easy to share with other caregivers.
“It is completely different from a will, which usually focuses on who gets what. The plan allows you to specify details (of your loved ones’) daily routine, pick-up times, medications and more,” Joel Pearlman said. “It is a really powerful day-to-day look at what makes their day and your life work best.”
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 61 million people in the U.S. — or one in four adults — have disabilities, including cognitive, hearing, vision, walking, self-care or independent living difficulties. Many require the help of a caregiver.
Dani Plan — a tool and online file system that contains information about day-to-day living for those with disabilities — is available for caregivers to build personalized plans for their loved ones. Covering everything from medical information, daily routines, food, housing, legal information and special preferences, the tool allows parents to outline in detail the day-to-day care needs of their child in the event they can no longer perform caregiving duties.
“The plan takes what you have in your head, your phone, your computer and files and puts it in one convenient online file system,” Joel said.
It is also safe and secure with data-encrypted technology and a two-factor authentication. Once the plan is customized, users can share sections of it with caregivers, health care providers or family members from anywhere in the world.
The Pearlmans began researching the idea for Dani Plan when their daughter, Danielle (Dani), was diagnosed with autism before the age of 2. As she got older, the Pearlmans realized they didn’t have a documented plan others could use if anything happened to them.
Today, Dani is 23 years old. She is nonverbal. but understands and communicates in her own way. As she got older, the Pearlmans realized they didn’t have a documented plan others could use if anything happened to them.
“The thought of us not having all the details of Dani’s life laid out in a way others can understand was disturbing,” Joel said. “How would they remember to give Dani her medications? How would they know her favorite foods? Make sure she has her headphones so loud sounds don’t hurt her ears? The list of details is long.”
The online tool took the Pearlmans about a year to build, perfecting the details along the way. Initially, they created a Word document to map out her information, but this process was tedious and ever-changing. They searched for an online program, and when they did not find one, they decided to create a tool that stored their daughter’s information conveniently and securely.
The website dashboard is personalized to each user, essentially mapping out the who, what and whys of the individual’s life. Dani Plan enables families to organize key contacts, medical information, daily routines, and other things like housing, communication, therapy, food and diet, safety, financial information and legal information in a secure and shareable platform. It also enables users to set custom reminders for medications and plan updates.
“It is a statement in essence of who Dani is,” Joel said. “A person with special needs has a lot of appointments, specific meditations and therapies. The plan sets up reminders for the caregivers that they can tailor to their phone or laptop.”
About 50 customers are currently using the program, which has a free 21-day trial period as well as paid premium options.
“Ultimately, I believe having a Dani Plan is an invaluable way of making sure your loved ones and the people taking care of them have all the information they need for a happy and easy transition,” Joel said. “It’s the least we can do to make sure they maintain the respect and dignity they deserve. … As parents, we want to make sure they will be taken care of in the way they need to be.”
To learn more, visit daniplan.com.
By creating Dani Plan, Joel and Debbie Pearlman designed an online tool that enables parents and guardians of people with disabilities to build personalized plans. The plan is named after their daughter, Dani, pictured here with brothers Alex and Charlie. (Photo courtesy of Joel Pearlman)
