Property And Financial Affairs Lpa
A property and financial affairs LPA gives your attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for you, such as:
- managing a bank or building society account
- paying bills
- collecting benefits or a pension
- selling your home
Once the LPA is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, it can be used with your permission, even if you’re still able to deal with these things yourself.
Or it can be held in readiness for when you’re no longer able to make decisions for yourself.
How To Deal With Dementia Behavior Problems
- How to Deal with Dementia Behavior Problems: 19 Dos and Donts
Dementia is a disease that affects millions of people across the globe every year. It is often a highly misunderstood condition that is marred by numerous misconceptions, which make the condition difficult to understand and study.
You should know that dementia is not a name for an illness, rather it is a collective term that describes a broad range of symptoms that relate to declining of thinking, memory, and cognitive skills. These symptoms have deteriorating effects that usually affect how a patient acts and engages in the day-to-day activities.
In advanced dementia stages, affected persons may experience symptoms that bring out a decline in rational thought, intellect, social skills, memory, and normal emotional reactivity. It is something that can make them powerless when it comes to living normal, healthy lives.
Relatives, caregivers, spouses, siblings, children and anyone close to a person who has dementia need to know how to deal with behavioral problems that surface because of the illness. Examples of dementia problems may include aggressiveness, violence and oppositional behaviors. Find out some of the vital Do and Donts when dealing with a dementia patient.
Do Not Ignore Physical Abuse
As much as one needs to be tolerant, kind, forgiving, and patient with older adults who have dementia, it does not mean that they have to excuse the patients when they become physically aggressive and allow the abuse to continue. It is not to be accepted, and if it happens, it is best to alert your doctor who will work on the solution to make sure it stops. It will keep both the patient and caregiver in safety.
From physical manifestations to angry outbursts, taking care of an individual with dementia may not be easy. However, working with the tips above can help caregivers and loved ones to get through it. Remember that there are plenty of treatments, interventions and special care providers who can help therefore, you should never be shy about getting help when you need it.
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How To Set Up And Register A Lasting Power Of Attorney
You can apply online for both types of LPA or download the forms, along with detailed guidance on how to complete them.
You can get someone else to use the online service or fill in the forms for you, such as a family member, friend or solicitor.
The LPA forms need to be signed by someone, apart from your chosen attorney, to state that you have the mental capacity to make an LPA. The forms also need to be witnessed.
You then need to register each LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian. Either you or your attorney can do this.
Registering the LPAs takes several weeks. You’ll have to pay a fee for each one, which may be reduced if you’re on a low income or receiving certain benefits.
Caring For Someone With Dementia Towards The End Of Life
Please be aware – this information is for healthcare professionals. We also have information for the public.
You can use our My Learning form to reflect on how this page has helped with your continuing professional development.
People with dementia may experience problems with thinking, memory, behaviour and mobility. It can be difficult to recognise when someone with dementia is nearing the end of their life. You can support the person by communicating with them and helping them with any symptoms they have. If possible, its a good idea to plan the persons care in advance to help understand what they want from their care.
On this page:
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Supporting People To Make Their Own Decisions
Where possible, people must be supported to make their own decisions. The kinds of support people with dementia may need include:
- giving people the information they need to make a decision
- allowing people time to think over a decision, or talk it through with an expert, or someone they trust
- explaining things in a way that is easy to understand
- making sure their hearing aid is working, or they have their glasses on
- using pictures, for example when choosing what meal to have
- having someone who can speak the person’s own language to explain the decision to them
- choosing the best time of the day to talk about the decision.
Some decisions are very difficult and people may need time to make them. People might also change their mind several times. This doesn’t mean they can’t make the decision themselves.
Repeating The Same Question Or Activity
Repeating the same question or activity may be a result of memory loss where the person cannot remember what they’ve said or done.
It can be frustrating for the carer, but it’s important to remember that the person is not being deliberately difficult.
Try to:
- be tactful and patient
- help the person find the answer themselves, for example, if they keep asking the time, buy an easy-to-read clock and keep it in a visible place
- look for any underlying theme, such as the person believing they’re lost, and offer reassurance
- offer general reassurance, for example, that they do not need to worry about that appointment as all the arrangements are in hand
- encourage someone to talk about something they like talking about, for example, a period of time or an event they enjoyed
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Money Matters: How To Help A Person With Dementia
Problems managing money may be one of the first noticeable signs of dementia. To provide support, while also respecting the persons independence, a family member or trusted friend can help:
- Watch for signs of money problems Trouble paying for a purchase or a pile of unopened bills may indicate money issues. Start a conversation about available services to help older adults with their expenses. Giving the person small amounts of cash to have on hand and limiting credit cards may help manage spending.
- Set up automated bill payments Arrange for utilities, mortgage, rent, or other expenses to be paid through automatic deductions from a bank account. This will make sure that bills are paid correctly and on time.
- Protect against scams or fraud To lower the risk of telemarketing schemes, help place the persons phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Consider registering the person for fraud alerts through their bank, credit card company, a national credit bureau or other credit monitoring service. Learn more about common scams and frauds.
As the disease progresses, a family member or trustee can take additional steps to:
Advance Directives For Financial And Estate Management
Advance directives for financial and estate management must be created while the person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia has legal capacity” to make decisions on their own, meaning they can still understand the decisions and what they might mean. These directives may include the following:
A durable power of attorney for finances names someone to make financial decisions when the person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia no longer can. It can help avoid court actions that may take away control of financial affairs.
A will indicates how a person’s assets and estate will be distributed upon their death. It also can specify:
- Arrangements for care of children, adult dependents, or pets
- Gifts
- Trusts to manage the estate
- Funeral and/or burial arrangements
Medical and legal experts say that the newly diagnosed person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia and his or her family should create or update a will as soon as possible after diagnosis.
A living trust addresses the management of money and property while a person is still living. The trust provides instructions about the person’s estate and appoints someone, called the trustee, to hold titles to property and money on the persons behalf. Using the instructions in the living trust, the trustee can pay bills or make other financial and property decisions when the person with dementia can no longer manage his or her affairs.
A living trust can:
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Shadowing In Alzheimers Disease
It is thought that the dementia patient does this because they have a fear of being alone. How do I know this? Because I have done this on many occasions. An out-of-proportion fear overwhelms me when my wife Phyllis June is out of sight.
You may read suggestions on how to stop shadowing, but thats all they are: suggestions. What you are essentially doing is trying to get a person with a progressive brain disease to realize that what they are doing is unnecessary and has to stop.
In short, good luck with that. Whatever behavior your loved one may be exhibiting, you can be sure that they are doing this unknowingly. In other words, it is likely completely involuntary. They do not wake up in the morning with a plan to follow you around all day. That simply does not happen. In order to do this, they would have to have the ability to plot and execute such a plan. Most dementia patients who display problematic behaviors no longer have these capabilities.
The very best advice I can offer caregivers who are struggling with dementia behaviors is to find a way to personally cope with the frustration. Changing your own perspective is within your control, trying to change these behaviors is nigh impossible. Please understand that Im strugglingits not just my behaviors. As a dementia patient, my whole world is beginning to feel completely out of my control.
Do Not Shy Away From Asking For Help
No one may have all the answers especially when it comes to taking care of a person with dementia. Try doing research on how their behavior changes and what needs to be done to help them live their lives without too many complications. Hire help when it becomes too much as it also ensures that you do not become too frustrated or drained. When you have multiple family members who can help, ask everyone to pitch in and look after the patient so that you can get some personal space to breathe and re-energize when it is your time to look after the patient. When you feel like you can no longer look after your loved one at your own home, it may be time to consider assisted living. In such case, look into dementia care homes that can provide specially trained professionals.
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Prescribing Medication In Dementia
Apart from the cholinesterase inhibitors, patients with dementia are often prescribed psychotropic medication for behavior disturbances and agitation associated with the illness. In many cases, the patient is not aware of these medicines. It is important to determine to what extent the patient can participate in the discussion of prescribing and their mental capacity. Patients who comply but incapacitated are perhaps the most vulnerable and good quality care with adequate safeguards must be exercised to prevent abuse.
In those patients where capacity to make decisions regarding medication is intact, the clinician should spend enough time discussing the benefits and risks of the medications and answer questions. Patient information leaflets cannot be solely relied upon.
Other Factors That Can Affect Behavior
In addition to changes in the brain, other things may affect how people with Alzheimers behave:
- Feelings such as sadness, fear, stress, confusion, or anxiety
- Health-related problems, including illness, pain, new medications, or lack of sleep
- Other physical issues like infections, constipation, hunger or thirst, or problems seeing or hearing
Other problems in their surroundings may affect behavior for a person with Alzheimers disease. Too much noise, such as TV, radio, or many people talking at once can cause frustration and confusion. Stepping from one type of flooring to another or the way the floor looks may make the person think he or she needs to take a step down. Mirrors may make them think that a mirror image is another person in the room. For tips on creating an Alzheimers-safe home, visit Home Safety and Alzheimers Disease.
If you dont know what is causing the problem, call the doctor. It could be caused by a physical or medical issue.
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Too Many Medications Can Make People Feel And Act More Confused
While medications are, of course, prescribed to help people, too many drugs can hurt people instead, causing disorientation and memory loss. Oftentimes, a medication might be ordered for someone with the intention of treating something briefly and then be continued unintentionally for months or years without a need.
Instead, when you go to the doctor, be sure to bring in a list of all of the medications that your loved one is taking and ask if each one is still needed. Include all vitamins and supplements since some of them can affect how medications work, or they can interact with the chemicals in the medications. Side effects of certain medications are sometimes significant and can interfere with cognitive functioning. It’s worth asking for a thorough review of all of the medications to ensure that they’re truly helping, and not hurting, your loved one.
From Nursing Doors To My Dad: When Dementia Became Personal
My personal experience in taking care of my dad with dementia was challenging. I was a caregiver who had to teach my mom how to interact and communicate with him. My mom still considered him to be her loving husband of 40 years, not acknowledging that his environment had changed. I also found myself talking to him as if he was the same dad Id known for 47 years. I know we all tend to forget things on a day-to-day basis, but what changed for my dad is when that forgetfulness was on a continuum with no remembrance of what was misplaced.
This behavior increased and thus warranted an evaluation for him to be diagnosed. Of course, the first reaction was denial from both of my parents. Then came reality as time progressed. I saw the distress behaviors when he was asked multiple questions at once and how my mom was doing everything for him, such as bathing, combing his hair, feeding him, etc. When I approached my mom, the conversation was about allowing him to do as much as he can for himself to avoid becoming so dependent.
Moving forward, we both saw the need for appropriate communication and how to modify those distress behaviors to produce positive health care outcomes. Although my dad is no longer with us, he has set the stage to teach, engage, and inspire health care providers to communicate and interact with people with dementia.
Nursing Programs at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
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Do Make Sure That The Dementia Patient Gets Enough Rest Food And Water
Fatigue, hunger and thirst may cause combativeness. Ensure that the person with dementia is well fed, hydrates enough, and gets adequate sleep and rest. In line with this, they should also have enough bathroom breaks. Research also shows that it may help to reduce loud noises as well as clutter in the space where the patient spends most of his/her time, as both loud noises and clutter tend to over-stimulate people with dementia.
Provide Support For Family And Friends
Keep any family or friends informed about what is happening in a gentle, sensitive and supportive way. This will help reassure them that the person is getting the care they need. You could consider signposting them to appropriate services, such as an Admiral Nurse or local Alzheimers Society. It can also help to give them an opportunity to talk about what is happening.
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Knowing The Stages Of Dementia Helps You Plan
Even if the stages arent exact and symptoms can still be unpredictable, being able to plan ahead is essential.
The truth is that Alzheimers and dementia care is expensive and time-consuming. Being financially prepared for increasing care needs is a necessity.
On an emotional level, having an idea of what symptoms to expect helps you find ways to cope with challenging behaviors.
It also gives you a chance to mentally prepare yourself for the inevitable changes in your older adult.
Our Most Frustrating Rational Thinking Losses
If Im experiencing dementia and you ask me to do something I cant do, Ill feel embarrassed, angry, hurt, or all three at once. Its essential that you understand what someone experiencing dementia is no longer able to comprehend for you to avoid getting combative, aggressive, and mean reactions.
Rational Thinking Loss #1Becoming unable to understand why.
Rational thinking skills are for understanding how, why, when, who and whatthe ability to perceive relationships between facts. Dementia takes that away. So if you try to explain to your loved one why they need to do something, or what went wrong, or how to do something, they will not be able to follow you and will end up embarrassed or concluding that youre making fun of them. Anger or hurt feelings will result. Whenever you catch yourself explaining why, stop. Youre asking them to do something they can no longer do. Youll have pleasanter interactions once you build new conversational habits and turn your focus away from why to talking about things that are pleasant.
Rational Thinking Loss #2Becoming unable to see cause and effect.
Rational Thinking Loss #3Becoming unable to follow sequences.
Rational Thinking Loss #4Becoming unable to prioritize.
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