Hi, everybody, it's been a while. I’ve been away from the podcast for a bit as my mum died in February. It has not been an easy time and I have tried to carry on as usual, as much as possible, but I think we can call agree that the podcast was an area that could take a pause.

I’m starting to get back into the swing of things and it feels right that the first episode of the podcast is focused upon Lasting Powers of Attorney. I am not an expert in this area, but I am sharing what my personal experience was of having these in place for both of my parents, when tragedy struck.

The key takeaways:

• A health LPA was invaluable when my mum was in critical condition, but there are limits to use for my dad who has Parkinsons and Dementia and is still deemed to have capacity
• A financial LPA was invaluable for both of my parents and has, in our situation, been easier to enforce than the health LPA
• Having the LPAs in place meant that I could quickly take over my parent’s affairs and whilst going through one of the most horrible experiences of my life, I could make sure that my mum passed in a comfortable environment and ensure my dad received the care that he needs. They helped an unbearable situation, to be a bit more bearable.

This episode is my personal story, it is not advice. However, I do wholeheartedly advocate that everyone at least consider the merits of putting LPAs in place.

Next time Alan will be back with me and we will be covering how fatty liver disease and protection insurance work.

Remember, if you are listening to this as part of your work, you can claim a CPD certificate on our website, thanks to our sponsors PlannerX.