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National Power of Attorney Day
Created: 27/09/2022, Updated: 28/09/2022The impact of not having Power of Attorney (PoA) in place can be both distressing and upsetting for families when someone loses capacity. Every year, thousands of people are impacted- from something as simple as a trip or fall or from more serious diagnoses of illnesses like dementia. Without a Power of Attorney in place you are not legally allowed to make decisions for anyone – that is financial or their welfare.
Contrary to the urban myth of ’next of kin’, the only officially recognised way to ensure that a trusted family member or friend is legally empowered to oversee their loved one’s affairs is to have a Power of Attorney (PoA) registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) ahead of time.
Anyone aged over 16 years can grant a Power of Attorney, either solely addressing their welfare or financial affairs or combining.
This is such a crucial issue, potentially affecting millions of Scots, that Scotland’s health and social care partnerships have come together to actively support and spread the word about Power of Attorney Day 2022 which will take place on 29 September, spearheaded by Health and Social Care Scotland.
For more information, click here.