It won't happen to me..

Understandably, many people have difficulty in considering their wills because they don’t want to think about the prospect of them dying. However, in reality we know that death is a fate that will come to us all and so reluctantly consider our wills.
Almost as scary is the prospect of losing mental capacity in later life. It is easier to close our minds to the prospect using the old adage “it won’t happen to me”! Making provision for someone to look after your finances and personal welfare in circumstances where you have lost capacity is essential and a godsend to those who are given the task of dealing with the situation.

It is a fact that we are living longer, great. But with this comes the possibility of diminishing physical health and mental capacity. A further complicating factor is that often the diagnosis of dementia is missed. A recent study by the Alzheimer’s Society shows great variations across the country of those having the disease being diagnosed. The suggestion is that half a million people are living with dementia but have not been correctly diagnosed. The concern that the Alzheimer’s Society has is that unless there is a diagnosis, patients will not receive the support that they need.

There are numerous aspects to reports relating to mental incapacity. The projections of how much longer we will live or the number of people living with mental incapacity seem to be on the increase and go to show that we must all make provision for later life. The one question that we should all ask ourselves is: Who will make decisions for you if you are unable to make them yourself?

Putting in place a lasting power of attorney giving an authority to someone to look after your finances and also your personal welfare should be something that we should all do. Like insurance policies, we hope they will not be needed in the future but if they are, they are a godsend.

Shaun Parry-Jones, Partner, Hart Brown