Lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf). This can be done at any time in your life, you don’t have to wait until you are older or ill. 

There are two types of LPA: Health and Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs

• You do not need the GP to help complete the LPA

• Please send us a copy of the donor and attorneys once complete so this can go on the donor’s records.

• Health and Welfare LPA will only become effective after the donor loses mental capacity.  

Age Concern (Supporting Older People across Hampshire / 01962 868545) can help complete the forms.

Having a Health and Welfare LPA in place does not mean that someone has the right to information about the donor or can make decisions on their behalf unless it is determined that the person does not have capacity.   

Capacity is decision specific - a person may be able to decide what to have for lunch but unable to make the decision about whether to have an operation.