Planning ahead financially after a dementia diagnosis

Whether you are already receiving care in your own home in Gloucestershire from Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk), or are instead still able to live with greater independence or are in the process of planning future care, as soon as possible after the diagnosis of dementia, you'll also need to get your financial affairs in order. Doing this will put you in a better position to pay for care, of course, but it'll also give reassurance to your loved ones in their new roles as carers and helpers.

Naturally, your first priority must be to adjust to the news of the diagnosis. You should not feel under pressure to begin tending to your finances when you are still emotionally coming to terms with your illness, but once you have, there are certain steps that we would advise anyone receiving domestic care in Gloucester to take. Your essential documents, for example - including those relating to bank accounts, tax, pension and benefits - should all be easy to find, as should documents to do with insurance policies, mortgages and rent, not to mention your will.

Given that the progression of dementia may make the decision-making process more difficult for you with the passage of time, it makes sense to make these vital plans as early as possible, alongside a trusted family member, professional or friend. Ideally, this person will be able to continue supporting you as time goes on, and will help you to make the right decisions now so that you can live as you would like to, perhaps with the help of our respite care in Gloucestershire, for some time to come.

Given the tendency for even those in the earliest stages of dementia to be forgetful, you won't want to miss those all-important regular gas and electricity bills. This makes it a good idea to set up direct debits for the automatic payment of these bills. If you are in a couple, your bank may also ask during the later stages of dementia for any joint bank account to be separated into two. This can simplify certain things as you depend on ever-greater dementia care in Gloucester on a daily basis, with benefits and pensions, for instance, able to be paid into your account directly.

If your bank account needs to be dealt with by someone else, ask about the arrangement of a 'third-party mandate' - but bear in mind that it will cease to apply if you eventually no longer have the capacity to make your own decisions. This makes it vital to investigate Lasting Powers of Attorney. You might also set up a trust so that your property or savings can continue to be managed as you wish - for this, you are advised to contact your solicitor. These measures can all help to give both you and your loved ones greater peace of mind as you continue to benefit from the highest standards of care from the home carers in Gloucestershire of Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk).

Editor’s Note: Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.