Brian Williams writing in the Observer yesterday highlighted the problems he has encountered trying to use his registered Enduring Power of Attorney on behalf of his mother. I think that a few years ago the Court of Protection did offer to help bank staff with information and/or training in use of Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Attorney because there were so many mix-ups with bank staff not fully understanding the authority they conveyed. I recall one man writing to me once enclosing a copy of a letter he had received from his wife’s bank stating that they could not accept the registered document ‘now that your wife has developed dementia’. Had I not read it with my own eyes I would not have believed it.
What is interesting in Williams’ column is his theory that there are not enough Powers of Attorney floating around to make it worth the financial institutions investing in training for their staff. This was not a factor I had considered. I do think however that if a bank/building society advertised itself as dementia friendly it would encourage a large group of new customers to invest their money with them and surely this would be incentive enough given the vast numbers of people who will develop dementia in the future.
To read the article click on this link.