Deputy order

Rosie7

Registered User
Oct 30, 2014
36
0
Hi All
Dad whose lived with me for getting on for 5 years is likely to move into permanent care in the next few months.
I have POA for financial but not welfare. Its too late to apply for that now as he was diagnosed with mixed dementia 4 years ago and wouldn't be considered to have the capacity to make the decision over welfare now. My question is should I apply to be a deputy to make welfare decisions? Mum also with dementia spent the last year of her life in care and it didn't come up that I needed any authority other than being her daughter.
If any of you have come up with problems not having any legal authority i would like to know.
He has spent about 8 periods of respite in the home he's going to . So he is known to them as am I.
Thanks for any help xx
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
If he's considered to have lost capacity then yes it's too late, and deputyship for welfare is very rarely granted, so I wouldn't waste money on that. You might run into problems, you might not - it's hard to say.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
I couldnt get POA for mum as she wouldnt sign it. Eventually got I Court of Protection deputyship for finances, but not for welfare.
I never had any problems due to the lack of of welfare POA - the doctors were always happy to talk to me and I felt that my views were taken into consideration, maybe I was just lucky, but it sounds as if you, like me dont have much choice anyway. The court doesnt like giving out blanket welfare deputyships and prefers to agree to things on one-off individual decisions. If you apply to the court for welfare deputyship and you dont get it (which is what usually happens) you dont get any refund.
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
I've got finance POA but my mother never did a health/welfare one. I've organised her care and dealt with medical appointments for the past two years, and she's now been in a care home for six months. The care agency, care home, SS and the medics have all been happy to deal with me as NOK, including during a hospital stay this summer after she broke her hip. Ideally I would have liked health POA, but not having one has not yet caused me any problems.
 

Baker17

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
3,382
0
I have had great problems with SS due to not having health and welfare POA I know it’s my fault but looking after my OH took over my life and now other people are challenging my decisions, it’s been a nightmare two years and it’s not over yet.
I would say to everyone please, please get it sorted, I’ve got mine in place well in advance just in case
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
I can see it would be much more problematic if you had either an unco-operative PWD (person with dementia) or family who disagree with your actions. Fortunately my mother is amenable, and there is no other family interested in venturing an opinion. Over the past three years SS have shown very little interest in her care and have been delighted to leave it to me (she's self-funding, which also helps).
 

Rosie7

Registered User
Oct 30, 2014
36
0
Thank you for your replies all really use full.It's confirmed my gut feeling to do nothing.Dad did sign a form at the doctors saying he was happy for them to discuss his health with me.He will also be self funding and other relatives generally are happy for me to deal with it all.In retrospect I wish I got the health POA years ago but I'm not sure my parents would have signed it mainly because they didn't want me to have to look after them