Member Article

Vital information shared at care seminar

More than 60 people gathered at a special event in Shrewsbury to help families navigate the legal and financial complexities around care options in later life. Organiser Shropshire law firm FBC Manby Bowdler was joined by dementia charity The Alzheimer’s Society, Shropshire Community Resource, Home Instead and the Mayfair Centre at the event held at Shrewsbury Town Football Club. Graham Fuller, a partner in the wills, probate and lifetime planning team, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people who wanted to be better informed about the options open to them, but also an indication of how much worry potential care fees cause for families. “The risk of having to sell the family home to pay for a care home place is very real for a lot of people. It’s a hugely complex area, but taking advice and planning ahead can avoid a lot of stress and cost in the future.” Topics covered at the event on April 12 included understanding the care system, how to stay in control of your affairs, protecting your assets from care fees and the implications of the government’s decision to delay a cap on care fees. FBC Manby Bowdler partner Carina Kervin thanked the care organisations for attending. “We’re really grateful to the organisations who joined us for their information and advice for our guests. Of course, care costs are at the top of most people’s list of concerns, but they are not the only thing you should consider when planning for later life. “It is vital to have the right type of Will in place if you wish to protect assets from care fees and make sure your assets pass to your loved ones. “We were also able to cover the importance of other plans which you can put in place, such as a Lasting Power of Attorney. None of us know what is around the corner – if you were stricken by illness and injury and could no longer communicate your wishes, an LPA would give someone you know and trust the authority to make decisions on your behalf. “We spent a lot of time at the seminar talking to people about these important aspects of later life planning, which many of our guests hadn’t properly thought about before. “No-one wants to think about a time when they can no longer care for themselves, but the time to have these conversations really is when you are well and able to think clearly. Doing so will save your loved ones a lot of stress, money and heartache in the future.” For more information about lifetime planning, visit www.fbcmb.co.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Melanie Boulter .