22/06/2026
Catriona Grant, Principal Officer - Adults With Incapacity (pictured, left) has kindly shared this story for Highland Power of Attorney Month:
My parents arranged their Power of Attorneys (welfare and continuing powers) in 2008. They were 70yrs old at the time, both in good health and living independently.
They appointed each other as their Attorneys, alongside my sister and I, with us being able to act together or separately to each other.
In 2016, at the age of 79, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer type dementia.
In Feb 2021, my father suffered a heart attack and then was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancel in May 2021. This led him to want to ensure all arrangements were in place both for himself and my mother, as his illness and her dementia illness progressed. Having the POA document in place enabled my sister and I to support our parents in their decision making.
My father’s illness progressed quite rapidly but he was still mentally able to manage his affairs and give direction to my sister and I. The continuing Power of Attorney enabled us to support our father to arrange the sale of the family home and the purchase of a much smaller house where my parents’ needs could be met, and my mother’s needs could be met longer term. This enabled my father to still feel in control of his affairs and have the full support of his daughters to enable this to happen smoothly.
As my father’s health declined, and my mother’s needs increased, we were able to utilise the welfare power of attorney powers to engage with health and social work services, to seek assessment, request a self-directed support direct payment and arrange the provision of support my father required in his final stages of life, and ensuring a package of care and support was in place for our mother.
Having the POA document in place for welfare and continuing powers, enabled me to employ personal assistants (PAs) to support my father to undertake activities, provide respite and essentially enabled him to enjoy the remaining few months of his life.
My mother is now 89 years old, living with Alzheimer’s Dementia but most importantly, she is living her life the way she wanted, independently at home supported by her exceptional team of PAs, family and friends.
As a result of the journey my family and I have been on, my sister, my husband, my in-laws and I have all granted a Power of Attorney, as you never know when it might be necessary.
For more information, visit nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/poa
