A woman who was appointed as an Attorney for her mother has been jailed for 18 months. She stole tens of thousands of pounds from her elderly mother who suffered from dementia. The judge labelled her: “mean, greedy and thoroughly dishonest” before handing her 18 months imprisonment. The woman was her mother’s Attorney for her Property and Financial Affairs and abused her position of trust and power. Her brother began the investigation after he found a care home bill was unpaid. The news went on that on the day of her mother’s death the defendant emptied her mother’s bank account leaving nothing to pay for her funeral.

This horrendous news story highlights the importance of choosing the right people to be your Attorneys. You must choose someone who you absolutely trust and someone who is capable of taking on the role of being your Attorney. It is important and advisable that you invest in professional advice from a local solicitor. You will find that you will have a much better understanding if you do. By not taking legal advice you risk creating an ineffective document. You also put yourself in danger of fraud or coercion. If you suspect elder abuse like this, you should contact the police social services. Alternatively, you could seek advice from the charity, Action on Elder Abuse.

If you are struggling to find someone who you trust and someone who is willing to take on the role of being your Attorney then we can act as your Professional Attorneys. We have many years’ experience of being Professional Attorneys for other clients and can therefore take away the worry and stress of your loved ones.

To find out more about Lasting Powers of Attorney, visit our FAQ section.

We offer free half hour initial consultations, so please call us today to book your appointment.

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