Bills for dementia sufferer

onlyroz

Definitely get LPA while you can.

bouicca21

LPA, plus set up a system to have the bills sent electronically and set up some kind of bills account. We didn't get an LPA early enough and it is way more difficult and expensive once they have lost capacity to agree to the LPA. We also hired someone to come in a couple of times a week to keep an eye on things, and arranged activities like going to a lunch club.

badmemory

I agree, definitely get both POA. They are now £82 each (down from £120). You can do it all yourself online. Don't pay for someone else to do it and keep it simple. For instance don't mention a hospital telling you what is going on because that rules out her GP telling you. The notes for these forms are very good.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

OP, I think the Age UK website has lots of useful info for this sort of situation. Definitely get power of attorney sorted ASAP.

While you're visiting, could you speak to her nearby friends and neighbours and ask them to contact you if they notice anything concerning? Unfortunately, personality change can be part of dementia- if those around her are alerted to this, they shouldn't be offended if she starts acting out of character.

Also, try and spend as much time as you can with your mum. A journo friend of mine interviewed her elderly nan about her wartime experiences and recorded it. Take the chance now to go through your mum's photo albums and treasures so you know the personal history of everything- dementia sufferers are often much more comfortable talking about older memories.

pollypenny

Definitely get a LPA, but my father made me a signatory on his bank account, too, which proved very helpful.

Primrose

Definitely get both Financial and Health & Welfare LPA's set up. We recently did ours online and it took two months for the process to be completed and the documents to be registered.

Meanwhile become a signatory on your mum's bank account and set up direct debits which will ensure bills get laid on time.

Register your mum as a vulnerable person with her gas and electrical suppliers . This will get her priority attention in the event of power cuts, etc.

Also consider getting her signed up to one of these monitoring services where she can press a pendant alarm if she needs help. Does she have any immediate neighbours who could be on call for this?

Also ensure somebody local has a house key. There are small key safes which can be installed on the outside of houses near the front door when a spare key is stored.

Checkout the Age Concern website. They may have helpful info on other sources of help.

could you get a cleaner to come in once a week for your mum? It would ensure that somebody is coming in to keep an eye on her.

Also if she sleeps in the front of her house make sure she opens her curtains every morning so that neighbours opposite can check she is up and about.

It's difficult when you live so far away. Get her a memory book so she can write down issues that are perhaps bothering her. She may forget to tell you when you phone her but if she keeps it near the phone she can check it out when you ring.

pineapple

Excellent advice Primrose. Also the local Alzheimer's Society may be able to advise or help negotiate health and social services or access support. Plus they have documents on site to download. www.alzheimers.org.uk/homepage/250/publications_about_dementia
It helps to set up systems now to help with memory
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/download/downloads/id/2204/the_memory_handbook.pdf
Something as simple as a day and calendar 'memory clock' was quite popular with my clients.

Beenie

After visiting yesterday, I fear that she is too far gone for POA. She was sitting in her dressing gown, with no heat or light as she has been meddling with the switches in the fuse box. We got that sorted but I know she will cut herself off again. The fridge had no electricity for days and her milk had gone off. I took the bills and have paid them, so that's that problem sorted. For now.

She has no phone, doesn't want a phone, thinks everything is fine, and doesn't want to give anyone a key to her door. She got irate when I gently introduced the topic of sheltered accommodation/care homes.

I have asked her landlord to alert social services and I am contacting Age Concern in the meantime. Thank you all for your advice.

Torry_Quine

Beenie wrote: »

After visiting yesterday, I fear that she is too far gone for POA. She was sitting in her dressing gown, with no heat or light as she has been meddling with the switches in the fuse box. We got that sorted but I know she will cut herself off again. The fridge had no electricity for days and her milk had gone off. I took the bills and have paid them, so that's that problem sorted. For now.

She has no phone, doesn't want a phone, thinks everything is fine, and doesn't want to give anyone a key to her door. She got irate when I gently introduced the topic of sheltered accommodation/care homes.

I have asked her landlord to alert social services and I am contacting Age Concern in the meantime. Thank you all for your advice.

You need to contact social services, it's not the landlords place to do this. Also get in touch with her GP

Beenie

OK. Didn't realise that (she lives in a housing trust bungalow, and the trust has a Money & Benefits Advisor so I assumed that s/he would have contacts with the local social services).

I am already in touch with the GP. She has been diagnosed with dementia, but as long as she is eating, dressing and washing herself, there is nothing to be done medically.