Enduring power of attorney for personal care and welfare

Injury or illness can affect any of us and if you’re suddenly unable to make decisions about your care and welfare such as where you live, who you live with, and the healthcare treatment you receive, an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) for Personal Care and Welfare is a legal document naming who you trust to make the big decisions on your behalf, when you no longer can. 

Getting your EPA sorted means the choice of attorney is in your hands.

A personal care and welfare EPA only gets activated if or when you are deemed mentally incapable of making decisions about your care and welfare, by a suitably qualified medical practitioner. 

Your personal care attorney would then be responsible for making important decisions around your treatment, health and welfare, and living situation. They might be needed to choose which rest home you go into and what level of personal care you would want.

Your attorney has specific responsibilities under the law, including regularly consulting with you, encouraging your independence, and acting in your best interests. In your EPA, you can choose other people who you would like your attorney to consult with on decisions, and who they need to provide information to. 

The document is quick and easy to complete, and if you have any questions our local call centre team is on hand to help. 

You can only appoint one person as a personal care and welfare attorney at a time. Ideally it should be someone who knows your health situation, care needs, and medications. They need to understand what kind of treatment or care you would require to be comfortable. 

We recommend choosing someone who you trust to always act in your best interests and who is up to the task. It’s best if this person is living nearby or at least in the same country as that will make their part to play, a little easier. Find out more about choosing your attorney here.