Losing Power of Attorney - Using trustees for financial matters.

[ozziemate]

When doing advocacy work in mental health I found that the loss of financial control was a huge issue for "client" and family. Losing power of attorney is most often emotionally devastating. Moving from financial Independence to a system of trusteeships means handing over your wallet, your income [ pension] and most likely any chance of personal future, accommodation [ apartment/flat/house] and a sever loss of credit rating with most if not all financial institutions.
From what I have seen this transition for someone on the slippery slope of readjusting to their mental/life  disturbances is most traumatic and very rarely taken seriously by the supporting professionals as a major contributor to severe depression and ultimate suicide of the client.
I wondered if any one was interested in joining a discussion about how it felt or how it would feel for them to lose power of attorney?

[SWM]

did you ever come across any patients who did not fit the patterm that you describe?

thinking outside of the topic subject there is iherent with mental health problems some degree of loss of independence and liberty and that loss is furhter detriment to the individual.

however in myexperience this loss is not always negative and detriment to the patient, sometimes people can be very reliefed to be unhindered of the burden of their independence and it inherent reponsiblity.

[ozziemate]

did you ever come across any patients who did not fit the patterm that you describe?

thinking outside of the topic subject there is iherent with mental health problems some degree of loss of independence and liberty and that loss is furhter detriment to the individual.

however in myexperience this loss is not always negative and detriment to the patient, sometimes people can be very reliefed to be unhindered of the burden of their independence and it inherent reponsiblity.

agrees very much so. After suffering a major stoke years ago I volunteered my wallet and car/house keys to an ex wife. I did how ever get them back once I was capable of asking for them properly with reasonable intent and capacity. It was a relief to have my financial affairs maintained for me during those months of part recovery.
However in most severe mental health situations client do not get the opportunity to volunteer their wallets and keys and have them removed forceably by law.
In Australia the court hearings are fairly informal yet consequences are terribly serious. My youngest brother was placed on a trusteeship. He lived about 12 months more before suiciding age 28. [ diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenia....with a host of other issues attatched.]

I think in his mind/heart his struggle to maintain any sense of normality was finally over the moment they took control of his wallet away.....so I wondered how others have managed.

I might add I was one of the family members that recommended a trusteeship as well.