Sad tale of Barbara Windsor’s dementia announcement – a message for us all

The recent announcement by Barbara Windsor that she is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is very much a tale of modern ageing, which has a lesson for us all.

Certainly, for some of us of a certain vintage, who can recall the very picture postcode humour of the Carry On films, in which she starred, the fact that she is now an elderly woman battling this issue makes us all realise the passing of time.

For many though, her fame is more recently recognised for her many years in EastEnders, when she played the feisty, Peggy Mitchell.

Such news stories, whilst sad, do represent an opportunity to discuss how such conditions have a widespread effect, which does have adverse consequences on so many families, not only in the UK but across the world.

After all, whilst much is made of the fact that people are now living longer than ever, there is often not enough said about how this does not always mean in the best of health.

Barbara Windsor, who is now 80, has suffered a condition that affects so many people in the UK.

According to dementia support charities, dementia sufferers are due to top a million in the next decade, showing this is an issue, which will only grow and is something that needs debating and tackling.

It is worth adding that the Mental Capacity Act 2005 can help in that it allows people to manage their finances on behalf of their incapacitated loved ones, under what is known as a lasting power of attorney agreements.

It is a document, which allows another person to make decisions, where a person has lost mental capacity, but it is worth noting that it can only be set up when the person is still of sound mind and able to make decisions for themselves.

Once a lasting power of attorney is in place, it does not mean the person who made it can no longer make decisions. They can continue but the appointed attorney is there just in case they do experience any issues and need help.

As Lasting Power of Attorney Experts in Staines, we are here to help if you need guidance.

The law is generally always there for times of life when big decisions have to be made and lasting powers of attorney require foresight and a pragmatic approach to a very real problem.