Planning for the future after a diagnosis of dementia empowers the person to play a vital role in making decisions and to ensure their wishes are followed in matters such as their future care needs, living arrangement, legal or financial matters. This can be even more vital for the person with dementia that lives alone. Planning in advance will allow the person with dementia to discuss and plan ahead early on, to prevent difficult and sometimes stressful situations in the future.
Early planning enables the person with dementia to document their wishes or plans (such as personal finances, mortgage and insurance), the following a few key areas that can be put in place:
Power of attorney also known as Lasting power of attorney (LPA) and Enduring power of attorney (EPA) is a legal document that allows the person with dementia to give another person an authority to manage some aspects your dealings such as finances, property or personal welfare.
There are two types of power of attorney: for health and welfare (which include care, treatment or living arrangement); and for matters relating to financial/property (which include managing personal finances or selling/buying house on your behalf) or both. In Northern Ireland, the EPA system only covers property and financial affairs. For more information on power of attorney in Scotland, you can visit:https://www.mygov.scot/power-of-attorney/
Appointeeship gives the right to someone to manage benefits or income from benefits on behalf of a person for example a person with dementia, who is unable to manage their own affairs because they are mentally incapable or severely disabled. An assessment will be conducted by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to evaluate if an appointee is needed.
An Advance decision or advance directive is also sometimes called a living will. A person with dementia can record in their wishes about refusal of treatment. This is to allow the person to plan for a time when they are no longer able to make these decisions for themselves. In Scotland, Advance Directives are not legally binding (unlike in England and Wales).
Advance statement is a written statement drawn up and signed when the person is well, to outline their preferences for treatment, care or refusal of treatment for the time when they were to become ill in the future. It Scotland, advance statements are a provision of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The statement must be witnessed and dated.
If the person with dementia is still able to manage basic finances, they may wish to set up direct debits to pay regular household bills. If they prefer not to do this, contact their fuel companies to let them know the person has dementia and give them an alternative contact number so the person isn’t suddenly cut off if they forget to pay their bills.
If the person with dementia handled all the money matters for the household you may be finding it daunting to deal with all the finances for the first time. Start by finding all the important documents, such as bank statements, insurance policies, wills and pension details, and putting them in a safe place. Age UK Lifebook can help you get organised. Call 0345 685 1061 for a copy.
The person with dementia could also set up a third-party mandate to give you permission to manage their bank account on their behalf.
Carers are entitled to request flexible working.
Benefits - Citizens Advice Bureau or the GOV.UK website (see below for both) insert links/imagesmay be able to provide information about benefits, pensions, etc.
Paying for care - social services will be able to discuss financial implications and help available.
Carers should be offered an assessment of their own needs.[3]This is carried out by social services. This is their right under the Carers Act. Check needed – more detail/already included
Social services assess how needs can be met. For example, this might involve arranging respite care, meals at home (formerly 'meals on wheels'), adaptations to the house, considering placement for the person with dementia in a care home, etc.
There are many other factors aside from the symptoms of dementia that play a huge role in shaping someone's experience. These include the relationships the person has, their environment and the support they receive.