FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA IN THE UK - AS MUCH A QUESTION OF CONFUSION AS ABUSE

This article explores a range of issues relating to financial manageme nt and elderly people with dementia. The law relating to personal fina nces for those who lack capacity is outlined and discussed with a stre ss upon its complexity and the key gaps in present coverage. The artic le goes on to outline findings from research on these issues carried o ut within a social services authority in the north of England. Profess ionals were found to have a wide range of anxieties relating to what t hey felt was the financial abuse of their elderly clients with dementi a, as well as more general concern about how best to deal with financi al issues for this group on a day to day basis. The financial abuse of elderly people does occur, but the article concludes by arguing that the issues raised by the research are wider for three main reasons. Fi rst, relatives and professionals are often ignorant or confused by the options available to them rather than being intent on defrauding elde rly people. Second, the desire to hand down and to receive money from the one generation to the next is a powerful force in society and elde rly people with dementia may wish their children rather than the state to have their money. And third, fee assessment and collection for thi s group raise real practical challenges to social services.