Colleague story: Why everyone should have a Power of Attorney – Lynn Forrest

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Lynn Forrest has spent her entire career at Standard Life working to help ensure customers who need extra support are treated with care and understanding. As Vulnerable Customer Manager and chair of our Carers Network, she’s deeply committed to helping others navigate life’s challenges with compassion.

Her professional passion is grounded in personal experience. Lynn has cared for both her mother, who had dementia, and her brother, who sustained a life-changing brain injury in his early 40s. Those experiences have shaped her belief that having a Power of Attorney in place is one of the most important – and most misunderstood – steps that families can take to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Here, Lynn shares her story in her own words.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your family and your caring responsibilities?

I have two brothers. I care for one of my brothers, who sustained a brain injury 16 years ago. He has difficulty with his memory and understanding financial things – just basic day-to-day stuff. He lives independently, I have daily contact with him, just to make sure he’s all right and everything’s okay.

I also cared for my mum, who had dementia. I cared and supported her from when she was diagnosed with dementia in 2016, right through until she passed away in September 2025. She had carers coming to her house in 2022, then went into a care home in 2023. Some people think once someone goes into a care home you stop being a carer, but that’s not true. You still make sure the person is being cared for properly and you still need to provide support and makes decisions on their behalf. Your care and support never really stops.

 

When did you first come across the idea of a Power of Attorney?

It was probably about 20 years ago. I spoke to my mum and dad about getting one after a conversation started about funeral plans – as you do – and it turned into a chat about having a Power of Attorney in place.

One of my friends had been through it with her parents. They’d both ended up in hospital, but they each had a Power of Attorney in place, which meant my friend could support them when they were unwell. She explained all the advantages, and that’s what made me think, “That’s a really good idea.” My mum and dad were in their late 60s at the time, they decided they should put one in place.

 

How did your parents react when you raised the subject?

It was just a Sunday afternoon. I saw my mum and dad all the time, and I said, “Wait till I tell you what happened to my friend’s mum and dad.” I told them the story – they both ended up in hospital at the same time – and my dad said, “Oh, that’s terrible!” I said, “I know, but they had Power of Attorney in place, and it made things so much easier.”

My mum and dad were both fit and healthy, so I said, “Look, I know you’re fine now, but it might be worth putting something in place just in case.” My dad said, “Yes, we’ll do it. If anything happens to us, you will be the one who’ll deal with everything anyway, so if we can make your life easy, that’s what we’ll do.” So, they got in touch with a solicitor, and that was that.

 

Was the process complicated?

Not for them. It was all handled by the solicitor. We just had to sign the forms and get them witnessed. It wasn’t difficult or confusing as it was all explained. I think people assume it’s this big legal process, but really it was very straightforward. My parents each made sure their Power of Attorney covered both medical and financial decisions, and once everything was set up, it all just got filed away in a drawer and forgotten about until needed.

It was never something that felt controlling or intrusive. It was there for if it was ever needed – that’s all.

 

Did you ever have to use the Power of Attorney for your parents?

I didn’t use it for my dad – it was in place but never used. He died about 15 years ago, when he was 80, so it was just like a security blanket. For my mum, yes, it became essential.

When my mum was diagnosed with dementia, one of the first things the memory clinic asked was whether we had a Power of Attorney. When I said yes, they said, “That’s great – we’re so glad.” It meant I could speak on my mum’s behalf whenever needed, and it was recorded straight away.

Later on, when my mum had to move into a care home, I was asked for it again – she wouldn’t have been able to go into the care home otherwise as by then my mum was unable to make any decisions for herself. The same thing happened when I sold her house to pay for her care fees. Because we had the Power of Attorney in place, the sale was simple. I dread to think what would have happened otherwise – it would have been stressful and complicated, and I might have had to go to court so that I could sell her house for her.

 

Did your brothers have any concerns about you taking on that responsibility?

No, I was fortunate. My older brother wasn’t really in contact with my parents at the time, and my younger brother just said, “Ah, whatever.” They were both happy for me to deal with everything, and I think they trusted me to handle things. There were no disagreements or challenges. I know that’s not always the case in families, so I was lucky.

 

You mentioned your brother’s accident – can you tell us what happened?

Yes. My brother had a brain injury when he was 42. He had an epileptic fit, fell, and split his head open. He required emergency surgery, lost part of his brain and couldn’t walk or talk for a while. I had to take over everything – paying his bills, talking to doctors – and I realised very quickly how difficult it is if you don’t have a Power of Attorney in place.

I’d seen how simple it was with my mum and dad, but suddenly I was in the opposite situation, and it was a real challenge. I had no authority to act on behalf of my brother and yet had to deal with all these urgent things for him.

 

How did you go about getting a Power of Attorney in place for him?

We were lucky. After about three months, he started to recover – he could walk and talk again and was seeing occupational health. He was in touch with a charity called Headway, which supports people with brain injuries, and they have a solicitor who helped us for free.

The first step was a medical assessment. His doctor had to confirm that he’d regained capacity to make the decision to grant Power of Attorney and he wasn’t being forced into it. Once we got confirmation through from the doctor, the solicitor was able to do everything else. The whole process took about six months after the accident.

Looking back, it was a long time to wait – especially when there were bills to pay and forms to sign – but we got there in the end. And since then, I’ve supported him to manage things, like helping him understand letters from the bank and day-to-day activities that most of us take for granted. He still makes his own decisions; I just help him behind the scenes.

 

What did those experiences teach you about the importance of a Power of Attorney?

It made me realise how important it is for everyone to have a Power of Attorney in place. It’s not just older people. My brother was only 42 – you never know what can happen. I think people assume it’s only something you do in later life, but that’s not true. It’s like having insurance. You hope you’ll never need it, but if something happens, it’s there to protect you and your family.

 

How do you respond to people who worry it means losing control?

I tell them it’s not about someone taking over someone’s life. It’s not about control at all. It’s about trust and security. Just because you have a Power of Attorney doesn’t mean it’s going to be used – my dad’s never was. It’s there if it’s ever needed, that’s all.

I see it as a kind of security blanket – something that gives peace of mind to everyone.

 

What advice would you give to someone who hasn’t thought about setting one up?

I’d say: just do it. Don’t wait until you think you’re old enough, because nobody knows what’s round the corner. And don’t be put off by the idea of paperwork or solicitors – it’s not as complicated or as expensive as people think.

Most of all, don’t think it means giving up control. It’s simply a way to make life easier for the people you trust if something unexpected happens. Having that peace of mind is worth everything.

 

What’s the main message you’d like others to take from your experience?

That a Power of Attorney doesn’t mean it has to be used, but it’s vital to have it just in case. You hope you never have to use it, but if you do, you’ll be so glad it’s there.

 

Key takeaways from Lynn:

• Act early. Power of Attorney isn’t just for older people – sudden illness or injury can affect anyone.
• It’s not about control. It’s about trust, kindness, and making it easy for loved ones.
• Having a Power of Attorney in place can offer security and reassurance for everyone involved.
• You hope you’ll never need it – but you’ll be glad you have it.

Standard Life has teamed up with Carers UK to launch Power of Attorney Day. Find out more about this national campaign.

This page is not legal advice. If you need help with your own situation, you should seek independent legal advice.