Living with dementia

Set up a Power of Attorney

As dementia progresses it might eventually reach a point where you need help with decision-making. Setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in advance, while in good health, is a good way to take the worry out of who will step in to manage affairs later. It also gives you reassurance that someone you trust is ready to take on this role. You can still make your own decisions. An LPA is in place just in case support is needed. You can find out more about this here.

Avoiding scams

Dementia can impact how you understand information and relationships with people. It’s a sad fact that fraudsters tend to target those who’re older or in vulnerable circumstances.

You can set up a separate bank account to limit the money they have access to. You can also make it harder for scammers to approach with a call blocker for their phone, and by signing up to a telephone and mailing preference service to cut down on junk mail and nuisance calls. Visit our security centre to find out more about avoiding scams.

Help with regular payments

A person living with dementia might have difficulties remembering to pay regular payments which could lead to unpaid debts. To avoid this, try to set up Direct Debits and automate payments for their bills and any regular payments. If you can visit, keep an eye on the post, particularly any unopened envelopes.

Setting up a third party mandate

This is quicker than setting up an LPA and is a good option for those who want help with simpler actions like setting up Direct Debits or monitoring spending. If you have an LPA, you can cancel credit cards and any overdraft facility to stop running up debt. If you don’t have an LPA, you can discuss setting up a third party mandate on their bank account, so you can help monitor the accounts. You can link accounts which acts very much like a third party mandate. Find out more about linking your account and supporting someone else with their finances here.

Forgetting or sharing PINs

If the person you’re helping is having trouble remembering their PIN for their bank account they might write it down and end up sharing it either deliberately or accidentally.

You can talk to their bank and arrange for them to have a card that lets them spend with their signature. When contacting the bank over the phone it’ll help if you’re both present for the call.