About Specialist in Dementia Consulting
What is Capacity?
What is Capacity?
What is Capacity?
Capacity is a person’s ability to understand information and make decisions about their care, finances, and daily life.
- It is decision-specific
- It can change over time
- Dementia does not automatically mean incapacity
A person may be capable in some areas, but need support in others.
Why This Matters
What is Capacity?
What is Capacity?
Dementia can affect memory, judgment, and insight — making it difficult to know:
- When to step in
- How to support independence
- What decisions your loved one can safely make
These situations can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to navigate them alone.
How I Support You
What is Capacity?
How I Support You
At Age Well Consulting, I help families:
✔ Understand capacity in real-life situations
✔ Navigate difficult decisions with confidence
✔ Balance safety and independence
✔ Determine when further assessment is needed
About Specialist in Dementia Consulting
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
A formal capacity assessment may be appropriate when:
- There are concerns about financial decisions
- Safety is at risk (wandering, medication errors, etc.)
- There is conflict among family members
- Legal decisions need to be made (e.g., Power of Attorney, guardianship)
I can help guide you through:
- Whether an assessment is appropriate
- What typ
A formal capacity assessment may be appropriate when:
- There are concerns about financial decisions
- Safety is at risk (wandering, medication errors, etc.)
- There is conflict among family members
- Legal decisions need to be made (e.g., Power of Attorney, guardianship)
I can help guide you through:
- Whether an assessment is appropriate
- What type of assessment is needed
- Connecting with qualified professionals
Power of Attorney (POA)
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows someone to make decisions on behalf of another person.
Types of POA in Ontario
1. Power of Attorney for Property
- Covers finances, bills, banking, and assets
- Can be used while the person is still capable (if set up that way)
- Often becomes essential as dementia progresses
2. Power of
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows someone to make decisions on behalf of another person.
Types of POA in Ontario
1. Power of Attorney for Property
- Covers finances, bills, banking, and assets
- Can be used while the person is still capable (if set up that way)
- Often becomes essential as dementia progresses
2. Power of Attorney for Personal Care
- Covers health care, housing, nutrition, and personal decisions
- Only comes into effect when the person is no longer capable of making those decisions
When is a POA “Enacted”?
When is a Capacity Assessment Needed?
When is a POA “Enacted”?
This is one of the most common areas of confusion.
- A POA for Personal Care is used only when the person is deemed incapable of making that specific decision
- A POA for Property can be used:
- Immediately (if written that way), or
- When incapacity is determined (depending on how the document is set up)
Capacity is assessed at the time the decision needs to be made, not as a blanket label.