The Power of Power of Attorney.
Projects
A Power of Attorney comes in to play at a point in life that can be challenging for all involved.
The document is one way of being legally authorised to manage the money and property or health and welfare of a person when they lose the mental ability to do so personally.
Too frequently we hear from relatives who say their loved one always intended to make a power-of-attorney but never got round to it. Things then become much more complicated and people have to go to court to apply for the court’s approval to manage things at a time which may already be traumatic for other reasons.
This film will not guide you through all the dilemmas, but it’s a good starting point for the conversation about getting this job done. For further information, please look at the further reading below.
Scottish River City actors Barbara Rafferty and Stephen Purdon lead the film which tells the story of an ordinary man, a house painter, without a power of attorney, trying to protect his family member in hospital. It highlights the difficulties of getting information and influencing decisions and shows how a chance encounter at the hospital with a former client provides him with life changing knowledge. The woman shares information about how you can protect yourself and your family and make sure your wishes are followed, when life puts you in the hands of others.
The film is set in Scotland but may be viewed UK nationally and internationally to prompt viewers to take care of their legal affairs using a mechanism such as a Power of Attorney. A previous DSDT film involving Barbara and Stephen “We Need to Talk about Dementia” has been picked up by the World Health Organisation and used on their global information platform.
“Take Me With You” a short film about the plight of old people trapped in care homes by the COVID crisis was nominated for independent film awards. All of these films and support materials are available on the trust website at https://dementiatrust.org
The Power of Power of Attorney was released in February 2022. To view an copy of the film, talk to the producers or actors, or access to any other promotional materials contact admin@dementiatrust.org
For more information, download the ebook
What the team said
“What actors do is try to replicate what we know and what we experience. I remember my own mum’s journey with dementia, spending the last eight years of her life in a care home. It was a privilege to work on the film – getting the message across is so important and necessary.”
“I am proud to be a part of the third instalment of this film series. As men, like the character in the film, we might avoid taking about difficult things like death and money. If you are taking care of your family, you need to think about these things and the film helps.”
“Too frequently we hear from relatives who say their loved one always intended to make a Power of Attorney but never got round to it. We hope this film will encourage people to get on and do it while there is time.”
Useful organisations
Office of the Public Guardian (England and Wales)
PO Box 16185
Birmingham
B22WH
Telephone: 0300 466 0300
Office of Care and Protection (Northern Ireland)
Room 2.2A
Second Floor
Royal Courts of Justice
Chichester Street
Belfast
BTI3IF
Telephone: 0300 200 7812
Email: OCP@courtsni.gov.uk
Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland)
Hadrian House
Callendar Business Park
Callendar Road
Falkirk
FK1 1XR
Telephone; 01324 678398
Email: OPG@scotcourts.gov.uk
https://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/general/contact-us
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British Medical Association
www.bma.org.uk
telephone: 020 7387 4499
British Psychological Society
www.bps.org.uk
Telephone: 0116 254 9568
Mental Welfare Commission (Scotland)
www.mwcscot.org.uk
Advice line: 0800 389 6809 -
The independent bodies responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of care home services and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.
Care Quality Commission (England)
Telephone: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Care Inspectorate (Scotland)
enquiries@careinspectorate.gov.scot.
0345 600 9527
Care Inspectorate Wales
www.careinspectorate.wales
Helpline: 0300 7900 126
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
www.rgia.org.uk
Contact: 028 9536 1111 -
Department of Work and Pensions
www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
Find your local council: www.gov.uk/find-local-council
All government departments for England and Wales
www.gov.uk
Adult incapacity government site in Scotland
www.gov.scot/collections/adults-with-incapacity
forms-and-guidance/
For PoA information in Northern Ireland
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/managing your affairs-and
enduring power attorney -
Family Mediation Council (England and Wales)
www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk
Telephone: 01707 394055
Scottish Mediation
www.scottishmediation.org.uk
Helpline: 0131 556 8118 -
To find a solicitor
Law Society of Scotland
www.lawscot.org.uk
Law Society of Northern Ireland
www.lawsoc-ni.org -
Age UK
www.ageuk.org.uk
Advice line: 0800 055 6112
Age Scotland
www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland
0800 12 44 222
Age Wales
www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru
08000 223 444
Age Northern Ireland
www.ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland
0808 808 7575
Alcohol Related Brain Damage
www.arbdcare.co.uk
01934 422 822
Alzheimer’s Society
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Support line: 0333 150 3456
(This is the same web address and support line for Wales and
Northern Ireland.)
Alzheimer Scotland
www.alzscot.org
Helpline: 0808 808 3000
Carers UK
www.carersuk.org
Contact their helpline by filling in the form which is on this
website.
Citizens Advice Bureau
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
You will be directed from this home page to CABs in your
nation and from there you can find a local service.
Headway
For support with traumatic brain injury
www.headway.org.uk
Telephone: 08088002244
Lewy Body Society
For information on Lewy Body dementia
www.lewybody.org
Information line: 01942 914000
Helpline: 0800 888 6678 (manned by Admiral Nurses)
Mind
Support with learning disability and mental health
www.mind.org.uk
Support line: 0208 215 2243
Stroke Association
www.stroke.org.uk
Stroke Helpline: 0303 3033 I00
Supporter Care: 0300 3300 740
We Are Hourglass
Dedicated to calling time on the harm and abuse of older
people
wearehourglass.org
From here you will get links to We Are Hourglass in Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland
Helpline: 0808 808 8141