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Putting everything in order

Putting your affairs in order

Thinking about legal and financial matters isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but ignoring them now can cause you and your family issues later

Sorting out your finances, organising your legal affairs and having a think about how you’d like the coming years to look are all ways that you can take control of your life after finding out that you have dementia.

Many people are not fans of dealing with money issues and most of us don’t want to think about end-of-life legal stuff, but a dementia diagnosis is your signal to put your affairs in order – ready for changes, when they come.

By organising your life, sorting out your affairs and thinking about who might be there for you when you have to make important decisions, you’ll be taking some really positive first steps after your diagnosis.

It may seem overwhelming, but we’ve made a handy step-by-step guide to putting your affairs in order to help you.

Easy ways to sort your life out

Do some life admin

Do you know what you own? What savings you have? Where your insurance policies are – and what they’re for? Now’s the time to take a closer look at money so you know exactly where you stand, financially. This will help you when it comes to legalities, like making a will.

Make a will

One of the most important first steps in getting your affairs in order is to make a will – or review your will, if you’ve already made one. Once you’ve made a will, make sure you know where your will is and who the executors are. You can read more about making a will here

Put a lasting power of attorney in place

A dementia diagnosis means that there will come a point where you might not be able to make decisions for yourself. But by using legal tools, such as a lasting power of attorney (LPA), you can be sure that you have someone you trust to make them for you. Putting an LPA in place now will give you peace of mind in the future. You can read more about LPAs and the different types here

Let people know

You might feel reluctant to tell people at the moment, but there are some people it’s important to tell about your diagnosis straightaway. If you’re still driving, the DVLA is one of them. You might be asked to undergo a medical assessment and will definitely have to send them medical information so they can assess whether you’re still safe to drive.
Failing to let the DVLA know means you risk a fine and for your insurance to become void. You should also speak to your insurer about your diagnosis too.

Click here for a guide to who else to tell about your dementia diagnosis.