Disaster Preparedness and Life Care Planning: Bridging the Critical Gap in Rehabilitation and Disability Management

Life care planning is a vital tool for individuals with disabilities, catastrophic injuries, and complex care needs, providing a structured projection of necessary medical care, support services, and resources to optimize long-term outcomes. Yet one critical domain remains absent from many life care plans: disaster preparedness. Individuals with disabilities face heightened risks during disasters, including disruptions to essential medical care, assistive technology, and accessibility accommodations. Despite evidence from disaster management and disability research, life care plans rarely incorporate strategies to address these vulnerabilities. This article examines the intersection of life care planning and disaster preparedness, highlighting the current lack of research and formal guidance on integrating emergency readiness into life care plans. Drawing from interdisciplinary sources, this article outlines why disaster preparedness is important as a standard component of life care plans and offers practical recommendations for life care planners to incorporate this critical, yet often neglected, element into professional practice and work.