Managing someone’s affairs basically refers to looking after everything in their life, aside from the actual practical job of caring for them directly. It differs from role to role, but caring for someone could include some or all of the following things:
- looking after their bank accounts, savings, investments, property, and other financial affairs
- buying and selling property on their behalf
- claiming welfare benefits on their behalf
- keeping on top of bills, rent, fuel costs, council tax, health care costs and every day spending on their behalf
- deciding where they live and making sure their home is safe and that they are comfortable
- making decisions about their day-to-day personal care; how and who their practical care tasks are carried out by
- managing their health care, making choices on their behalf now and/or in the future
- organising care for their children and/or pets if they should lose the capacity to do so themselves
As you can see, managing someone else’s affairs can be very full on, as you juggle all sorts of different responsibilities – and that’s before you even think about adding your own life and your own affairs into the equation! The good news is that there are various help and support options available to you, which we have listed below.