Additional information and advice to support the webinar “Taking Control - planning your later life when you are ageing without children”. Video available below.
Answers to Questions from the webinar
Advocacy is a key issue which comes up over and over again in our Leeds AWOC group - the question of who will speak for me? Any thoughts on this from the panel?
A Power of Attorney is a powerful legal document & supplemented with instructions/letter wishes – this is a great place to start.
Independent Age also has a factsheet on Independent Advocacy. It covers situations where someone would legally be entitled to an advocate.
Will the factsheets give information about adaptations and support in Scotland? And Wales and Ireland?
The Independent Age factsheets cover information in England only. However, the information might still be helpful to people in different countries. If you want information specific to Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, the following links might be a good place to start.
Age UK - Obtaining disability equipment and home adaptations in Wales
My Gov Scotland - Care equipment and adapting your home
Citizens Information (Ireland) - Adapting a home for an older or disabled person
Hi....a question for Kirsty....I'm really keen on the idea of developing a co-housing project for childless people. As a single person without children, being involved in a community is very important to me. Would you know if a co-housing project already exists for childless people (so I can get some ideas and start researching) or have any resources so I can get a project started?
This was answered this in the webinar but some further information can be found at
What is the research on the "psychology of ageing without children"? For example, how our life course experiences impact on our how we think about awoc.
It is highly likely that our own life experiences shape how we approach ageing without children.
However, there is limited research AWOC specific in this area and nearly all of it focuses on people who have no children at all. There is mixed evidence on the psychological wellbeing of older people without children with some studies showing little difference between them and parents and others showing high levels of depression and anxiety. It is suspected that the differences are dependent on the route to being without children in old age and whether it was a choice they actively made. There is also a difference between men and women and between the never married and those who are widowed. Single childless men and married childless women have poorer networks than married childless men and single childless women.
How to handle outliving people you may have appointed as your POA?
Further to this question re POA, how do you future proof your arrangements? I have made POA with 3 friends, jointly or severally as both attorneys and executors, but they are all my age or older. I don’t know any younger people I could rely on for that responsibility & even my solicitor now will be retired by the time I probably need this service?
If you choose an individual as attorney, then if that person dies or themselves become ill – they cannot act. Some solicitors (especially larger ones) have Trust Corporations (like a company) who can be appointed as an attorney and this will survive death/incapacity of an attorney.
What are the affordable ways to get someone to be POA? Lawyers too expensive and overqualified for what needed. A few years ago, a local council (Southampton CC) consulted on charging 3% of total capital for doing this as I recollect - not sure if they implemented this.
You can prepare a Power of Attorney yourself. Using a professional however means that you are also getting a lot of advice and support and an understanding of the law. Most lawyers will delegate day to day work to people in the team who are doing more ‘admin’ but will keep an eye on/oversight on the legal aspects. Lawyers also come with indemnity insurance so if something goes wrong, there will be financial compensation.
If you have no children and wish to leave your house and land to a charity, what steps can you take set this up before you're too old and in care to set it up!
Age UK did at one point have a service where they bought the house and let you stay in it, but not been able to find anything on this.
Best to talk to a solicitor and get a legal view as Deprivation of Assets may play a part in this. This fact sheet from Age UK could help.
Who has greater ‘power’ when it comes to important health decisions for someone unable to act for themselves - NOK or P of A for health?
An attorney has greater legal authority than ‘next of kin’.
Do you know if there are any co-housing projects in Australia that you have heard of or know of?
There is a co-housing movement in Australia thought it seems to be quite new
Cohousing - Collaborative housing in Australia
on Facebook Cohousing Australia
Are there any retirement villages in the UK that have been set up for childless people?
I am not aware of any at all
Further information
“We provide free information and advice for older people and their families on care and support, money and benefits and health and mobility, along with friendship services to relieve loneliness. We also use the knowledge and insight gained from our frontline services to challenge poor care and campaign for a fair deal for older people – a reasonable standard of living, fair access to information and an opportunity to contribute to their communities”
People can download or order Independent Age factsheets and guides on this webpage .
People can also order the guide through our Helpline on 0800 319 6789.
The factsheets and guides specifically mentioned in the webinar include:
Managing my affairs if I become ill
Getting help at home
First steps in getting help with your care needs
Complaints about care and health services
Heledd Wyn is a Director and Head of Long-Term & Elderly Care with over 15 years’ experience across a range of future planning, private wealth and Court of Protection work.
Specialising in future planning, Heledd provides expert advice and guidance in respect of Wills, Powers of Attorney, long-term care, and asset protection to both private individuals and business owners.
Kirsty Woodard - Ageing Without Children Consultancy
Kirsty has 25 years’ experience of working in the field of ageing. She began in the early 1990s running an advocacy and advice service for older people before becoming the manager of Well & Wise healthy living centre for older people, a partnership of 13 member organisations in Camden. She went on to advise Age UK on social care policy and service development models. She has been a freelance consultant and trainer since 2007 working with third-sector organisations, mostly on redesigning services for older people and making them more sustainable. She founded AWwoC in 2014 in response to the invisibility of older people without children or family in discussions and planning on ageing. She is married and childless.
kirsty@ageingwithoutchildrenconsultancy.com
Peace Of Mind Planners
Annette Earl - The Peace of Mind Planner is a fillable PDF document that allows you to capture all the major components of your End of Life Plan, in one easy and convenient place.
Once I’ve Gone - Secure all of your important information and make it available to the right people at the right time
Biscuit Tin - Set up your secure online vault today to simplify the future for your loved ones – who knows what tomorrow will bring. And getting organised always feels good!
My Wishes - Our free to use software will help you document your future care wishes, safeguard your possessions and make plans for those you care about.
Useful links UK
AWWOC - Ageing Well Without Children
AWOC York - Ageing Without Children York
AWOC Leeds email awoc.leeds@gmail.com
Age UK - Age UK operates in most communities across the UK providing a range of services including information and advice, practical support, respite care, visiting, day centres and hospital aftercare.
Message in a bottle scheme - Run by the Lions Club its a simple idea designed to encourage people to keep their basic personal and medical details on a standard form and in a common location – the fridge!
Compassion in Dying – Living Wills This section explains what an Advance Decision (Living Will) is, what it can and cannot be used for, and how to make one. The information is for people living in England and Wales.
Before I Go Solutions - helping you get your own end-of-live plan finally done
Homeshare UK - Homeshare brings together people with spare rooms with people who are happy to chat and lend a hand around the house in return for affordable, sociable accommodation.
Solicitors For The Elderly - Helping to connect you with the right legal help when you need it
Useful links Australia
Australia Government, My Aged Care - My Aged Care is the Australian Government's starting point on your aged care journey. Find and access the government-funded services you need. You can see the types of care available here and the answers to some of your questions here
Villages.Com - retirement villages directory https://www.villages.com.au/retirement-villages
Useful links America
Elder Orphans - This Facebook group is restricted to individuals over 55 who live without the help of a spouse, partner, and children. If you feel you're aging alone, with little support, you belong.
Global
Step - Mental Capacity Global Special Interest Group - Established in 2010, the group focuses on the increasing importance and relevance of issues concerning capacity in all aspects of legal work relating to inheritance and succession planning. The group aims to ensure that all members are kept up to date with developments and, indeed, are part of the debate and shaping the future where possible. Both STEP members and non-members alike are welcome to join