Most people do not begin thinking seriously about care until an illness, accident or sudden change makes support urgently necessary.
By then, important decisions may need to be made quickly, choices can be more limited and family members may be left trying to work out what their loved one would have wanted.
Planning ahead gives you greater control over your future and helps those closest to you act with confidence if circumstances change.
More People Will Need Care in the Future
A major study examining future care needs in England projected that, between 2015 and 2035, the number of people aged 85 and over with high dependency needs requiring 24-hour care would almost double.
It also projected that 81% of older adults living with dementia and medium or high dependency would have at least two additional health conditions by 2035. This means future care arrangements are likely to become increasingly complex for individuals, families and care services.
Care Planning Is About More Than Money
A good care plan considers three connected areas.
Your Health and Care Needs
Think about the support you might need to remain safe, independent and comfortable.
This could include:
• Help within your own home
• Equipment or home adaptations
• Support from family or professional carers
• Assisted living or extra-care housing
• Residential or nursing care
• Specialist care for conditions such as dementia
Your needs may change over time, so it is useful to consider both your current situation and what could be required in the future.
Your Legal Protection
A Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to appoint people you trust to help make decisions or act on your behalf.
There are two types:
• Health and Welfare, covering care, treatment and living arrangements
• Property and Financial Affairs, covering money, bills, benefits and property
You must have the mental capacity to make an LPA. Once registered, it provides a clear legal route for trusted people to act when needed.
Your Financial Preparation
Care can create significant and ongoing costs. Planning ahead gives you time to understand:
• How local authority financial assessments work
• Whether your property could be included
• What NHS funding may be available
• Which benefits you might be entitled to
• How savings, pensions and other income may be used
• Whether specialist legal or financial advice is needed
Planning cannot guarantee that you will never have to contribute towards care, but it can help you understand your choices and avoid rushed financial decisions.
What Can Happen Without a Plan?
When someone suddenly becomes unable to manage their own affairs, their spouse, partner or children do not automatically gain authority to access accounts or make decisions for them.
Without a valid LPA or other legal authority, relatives may need to apply to the Court of Protection. The application can involve court fees, possible hearing costs, paperwork and delays at a time when urgent decisions may already be required.
The greatest potential loss is not only financial. It is the opportunity to make your own wishes clear while you are still able to do so.
Four Steps You Can Take Now
1. Think About Your Possible Future Needs
Consider your health, home, support network and family circumstances.
Ask yourself:
• Could I continue living safely in my current home?
• Who would help if my health changed?
• What type of care would I prefer?
• Are my family aware of my wishes?
• Would my home need to be adapted?
You do not need to predict everything. The aim is to identify the issues that may require a decision later.
2. Put Lasting Powers of Attorney in Place
Consider setting up both types of LPA while you have the capacity to choose your attorneys and explain your preferences.
Registering an LPA currently takes around eight to ten weeks when there are no mistakes, so it should not be left until authority is urgently required.
3. Record Your Care Wishes
Talk openly with your family about what matters to you and consider writing down your preferences.
An advance statement can cover matters such as:
• Where you would prefer to receive care
• Your daily routines and personal preferences
• Religious or cultural wishes
• Who you would like involved
• Practical arrangements that matter to you
An advance statement is not legally binding, but it must be considered by anyone making a best-interests decision on your behalf.
4. Review Your Financial and Estate Plans
Review your:
• Will
• Property ownership
• Savings and pensions
• Insurance policies
• Benefits entitlement
• Trusts and wider estate-planning arrangements
Take independent professional advice before giving away property, transferring assets or entering into arrangements intended to reduce future care charges.
The Difference Planning Can Make
Consider two illustrative situations.
Jane’s mother has a sudden stroke and can no longer manage her financial affairs. Because no Property and Financial Affairs LPA was created, Jane cannot simply access her mother’s bank accounts or deal with important financial decisions. The family must investigate a Court of Protection application while also arranging care.
Sarah’s parents planned earlier. They put LPAs in place, updated their Wills, discussed their care preferences and reviewed their finances. When Sarah’s father later developed dementia, the family still faced difficult decisions, but they knew what he wanted and had the authority needed to act.
The difference was not luck. It was preparation.
Start Before a Crisis Happens
Care planning does not mean assuming the worst. It means giving yourself and your family more control if something unexpected happens.
Starting now can help you:
• Make your own preferences known
• Appoint people you trust
• Understand possible care costs
• Protect your family from unnecessary uncertainty
• Make decisions calmly rather than during a crisis
The best time to plan may have been years ago. The next best time is today.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for personalised legal, financial or care advice. Lasting Powers of Attorney referenced here apply in England and Wales; different arrangements apply elsewhere in the UK.
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