Elderly relative

Hopalong1

Mojisola wrote: »

I agree - the best time to set up a POA is when you are fit and healthy so you have time to think it through.

It's like a will - you make it in advance so that it's there when it is needed.

Hello Mojisola


Yes, thank goodness he has seen the sense in doing that, at least. It's a great relief.

Mojisola

Hopalong1 wrote: »

This is why we have to be tactful in inquiring with FA as to why he has invested everything in shares rather than leave some of relatives savings in a savings account, as social services were concerned about this at his age = 81.

Would your relative sign a letter asking the FA to list all the investments as mentioned earlier? You could use the excuse that social services may need to see everything.

barbiedoll

If you're going to do the cleaning yourself, think about hiring an industrial vacuum cleaner. It will get rid of all of the cobwebs and assorted beasts and will clean the carpets better than any household cleaner.

Buy lots of arm-length rubber gloves, and maybe some masks and aprons too. Sugar soap, bleach, heavy duty sink and drain cleaner will all help.

Get lots of cardboard boxes so that you can clear one room at a time, clean it, and then put all the stuff back

I don't envy you one bit!

Home shopping: My elderly aunt doesn't have internet access but she uses Sainsbury's home shopping where she just phones up each week and orders her stuff over the phone for delivery. They're very helpful and lovely on the phone apparently!

Gigervamp

Re the cleaning. You can buy disposable all in one overalls in places like B&Q.

Hopalong1

Mojisola wrote: »

Would your relative sign a letter asking the FA to list all the investments as mentioned earlier? You could use the excuse that social services may need to see everything.

Hello Mojisola


Thanks - this is definitely the way we are going to approach it, as he does need a financial form filling out to means test his fees in the residential home.


Social services actually do need to know what he has to be fair on their limited funding for others.


Must get moving on this. Supervising his new double glazing going in at last! One job we will be able to tick off. Photographing all the new windows and doors, and going to do an album of all his renovations as a nice keepsake for him.


I am hoping it will remind him how he was living and he won't want to revert back, or change his mind about other work, e.g. the kitchen is a sixties throwback, with only 3 sockets!

Hopalong1

barbiedoll wrote: »

If you're going to do the cleaning yourself, think about hiring an industrial vacuum cleaner. It will get rid of all of the cobwebs and assorted beasts and will clean the carpets better than any household cleaner.

Buy lots of arm-length rubber gloves, and maybe some masks and aprons too. Sugar soap, bleach, heavy duty sink and drain cleaner will all help.

Get lots of cardboard boxes so that you can clear one room at a time, clean it, and then put all the stuff back

I don't envy you one bit!

Home shopping: My elderly aunt doesn't have internet access but she uses Sainsbury's home shopping where she just phones up each week and orders her stuff over the phone for delivery. They're very helpful and lovely on the phone apparently!

Hello barbiedoll


Some good tips here, thank you, I was thinking more a 'hazmat' suit would be appropriate! Dreading it to be honest and putting it off with the excuse that until his windows, heating and bathroom are finished, then it's not worth doing.


Was really pleased to see that the window installers managed to pull out a lot of cobwebs when bathroom window was taken out and replaced. This rapidly turned into screams when they left behind a whopping great spider who is refusing to move from the bath. Gah!


I have mentioned him ordering (now he has a landline and phone with large buttons, and enhanced hearing installed!); but he says he likes to get out and socialise with the till girls - they have a laugh and banter and it gets him out.


Trying to explain that it will probably take him hours to get there on a walking frame, and he will be too exhausted to carry his shopping back, is an uphill struggle. Literally, he has a small hill to climb to get there.....

Hopalong1

Gigervamp wrote: »

Re the cleaning. You can buy disposable all in one overalls in places like B&Q.

Hello Gigervamp


Does it have a face mask? Only joking (I think) : )

margaretclare

Hopalong1 wrote: »

Hello margaretclare


Yes, thankfully he is agreed on this, but it will be for just in case he needs it in the future rather than now. This is why we have to be tactful in inquiring with FA as to why he has invested everything in shares rather than leave some of relatives savings in a savings account, as social services were concerned about this at his age = 81.

We have done a PoA for each other, did it years ago.

I think - if it was me, I wouldn't be bothered with individual shares now, not unless I was capable of reading the FT daily and keeping on top of them all, changing if necessary e.g. like Tesco shares according to yesterday's news broadcast! What I've done, and had some success, is to invest in unit trusts in a Stocks & Shares ISA. Unit trusts were invented years ago, I first saw them mentioned back in the 1960s and oh how I do wish I'd got involved with them then. £20 a month, peanuts (but it was a lot for me then, and I had other things to worry about). What I've done now is to set up a Junior S&S ISA for my twin great-granddaughters in conjunction with their Daddy, who can see the sense of it. It will be there for them in 16 years' time when they're 18.

I still have my S&S ISA invested in funds and - this is what I'm working up to - if I'd had individual shares it would be possible to put them all under this umbrella. I know Hargreaves Lansdown get criticised here for being expensive, but to me, they've been good. I wouldn't have been able to save £12K in 10 years to date, and take £6K out 2 years ago for cosmetic surgery, if I'd been fiddling about with individual shares or cash savings. It's possible to put all individual share holdings under an ISA umbrella.

Shopping by phone, and getting it delivered, is a great idea. We always had grocery deliveries years ago where I grew up in the Yorkshire countryside. My aunt was a polio survivor and she couldn't get to the shops, my mum was too busy working, and there were only one or two very limited village shops. I grew up thinking that getting groceries delivered was quite normal.

Mojisola

Hopalong1 wrote: »

I have mentioned him ordering (now he has a landline and phone with large buttons, and enhanced hearing installed!); but he says he likes to get out and socialise with the till girls - they have a laugh and banter and it gets him out.

Trying to explain that it will probably take him hours to get there on a walking frame, and he will be too exhausted to carry his shopping back, is an uphill struggle. Literally, he has a small hill to climb to get there.....

margaretclare wrote: »

Shopping by phone, and getting it delivered, is a great idea. We always had grocery deliveries years ago where I grew up in the Yorkshire countryside. My aunt was a polio survivor and she couldn't get to the shops, my mum was too busy working, and there were only one or two very limited village shops. I grew up thinking that getting groceries delivered was quite normal.

There's no reason why he can't do both - have most of the shopping delivered and then walk down to the shop so he has his chance to socialise a bit and only needs to buy a couple of small items.

If the walk itself is too much then would he consider a mobility scooter?

Hopalong1

margaretclare wrote: »

We have done a PoA for each other, did it years ago.

I think - if it was me, I wouldn't be bothered with individual shares now, not unless I was capable of reading the FT daily and keeping on top of them all, changing if necessary e.g. like Tesco shares according to yesterday's news broadcast! What I've done, and had some success, is to invest in unit trusts in a Stocks & Shares ISA. Unit trusts were invented years ago, I first saw them mentioned back in the 1960s and oh how I do wish I'd got involved with them then. £20 a month, peanuts (but it was a lot for me then, and I had other things to worry about). What I've done now is to set up a Junior S&S ISA for my twin great-granddaughters in conjunction with their Daddy, who can see the sense of it. It will be there for them in 16 years' time when they're 18.

I still have my S&S ISA invested in funds and - this is what I'm working up to - if I'd had individual shares it would be possible to put them all under this umbrella. I know Hargreaves Lansdown get criticised here for being expensive, but to me, they've been good. I wouldn't have been able to save £12K in 10 years to date, and take £6K out 2 years ago for cosmetic surgery, if I'd been fiddling about with individual shares or cash savings. It's possible to put all individual share holdings under an ISA umbrella.

Shopping by phone, and getting it delivered, is a great idea. We always had grocery deliveries years ago where I grew up in the Yorkshire countryside. My aunt was a polio survivor and she couldn't get to the shops, my mum was too busy working, and there were only one or two very limited village shops. I grew up thinking that getting groceries delivered was quite normal.

Hello Margaretclare


Thanks that is useful to know. No idea what sort of shares he has, and neither does he, no paperwork (it's with FA).