AIBU to ask how we help elderly relative

[KTD27]

Positing for traffic!
Hope you can help.
My great aunt (79) has a distant cousin who she sometimes - in the most haphazard of ways - sees from time to time. We don’t really know him as a family but I think he’s my grandfathers (and so her) second cousin.
My aunt hadn’t heard from him in a while so asked my mum to bring her up to his flat where they found him quite disorientated and according to my mum definitely a vulnerable adult.
He doesn’t have other family that we know - there is we think a niece or nephew but as far as we know he’s estranged. We don’t know names or details at all. He very much kept himself to himself and was an ‘odd man’ according to my aunt.
Mum went back today took him to the docs and helped sort through the house as it is in disarray. She found a bank statement with hundreds of thousands in. Direct debits going out to virgin for 90pm, payments to holidays he never went on and doesn’t remember booking and he has no idea what he’s paying virgin for.
The doctor said he didn’t feel he was of sound mind and will refer to whomever he refers to for further help.
My AIBU is really to ask what and who do we contact tomorrow! Is there someone we could ask for to help manage his finances and help with his life? Mum said he also had a letter from his housing association suggesting he was in arrears He obviously isn’t in a position to choose someone himself and my mum will absolutely help but doesn’t have the authority to deal with lots of it at all.
If anyone has any advice I’d appreciate it. Not sure if mum could flag up to the bank he’s vulnerable and so they’d just watch his account? I hate the idea that he’s been taken advantage of in any way.
Oh and he’s also told my mum he’s been driving! No idea what to do about that.

You need to contact social services in his area and ask them to come and do an assessment, tell them he's a vulnerable adult and had no one close by keeping an eye on him and that you think he's being financially exploited. I'm not sure if you can do anything with the bank stuff without his permission or poa but you could speak to them and see what they suggest

Court of Protection.

It's too late for Power of Attorney.

Have a look at the website.

www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/court-of-protection

Thank you! I’ll pass this onto mum. I’m
200 miles away so not able to physically do much and she’s just in a stats of panic about him tonight. I think she’s just been a bit shocked and guilty she didn’t know.

If he no longer has capacity, he can't give your mum or anyone else power of attorney. Nor can you, even though it's with good intentions, manage his affairs for him informally. Therefore you need to apply to the Court of Protection on his behalf. They will appoint a guardian (aka deputy) to ensure that his welfare and financial affairs are handled in his best interests. The deputy is answerable to the district court, and may have to apply to the court for permission to take certain actions.

Court of Protection

If he lacks capacity to manage finances then yr mum could apply for deputy ship .
Agree referral to adult services and request care act assessment. If he really does have a lot of money (over about 24k I think) he will likely have to pay for all of his care.
Is GP sure no UTI or similar physical problem that could account for deterioration?
If not also ask GP for a referral to older persons mental health for assessment/diagnosis/treatment if required.
Consider hot meal delivery service? Lots about these days.
It will take a bit of unpicking but you will get there. Oh and make sure his smoke detector works. Good luck

Adult safeguarding/Social services who will appoint and advocate for him

Op can you do some digging so to speak .You mentioned there is money going out to Virgin and for holiday's there may possibly be a 'friend' who has his bank details and are using it to pay for things , this looks very typical of financial abuse where someone has befriended him because he is vulnerable they gain someones trust and then they start asking for money . Bloody evil but it happens so often. How much you can do i am not sure but if you pass your worries to the bank they should look at it as you have flagged it up .Social services should do a safeguarding as a matter of urgency as he is vulnerable .Good luck .

Thank you thank you everyone.
Yes to the hundreds of grand in the bank. I’m a bit at this as he just isn’t the person you’d think it of but then I guess it’s the way it works.
Mums got a reference number from some statements to virgin so will call them tomorrow and try to ascertain whether he’s actually got a service he can at least plug a phone into and perhaps see about getting it reduced if they’ll speak to her and passed onto the right team if not.
Dr today said he thought diabetes. He was a locum so didn’t know the relative at all but I understand he’s left details with the practice manager and someone will call mum back tomorrow.
She’s going to call social services as a matter of urgency tomorrow morning and am crossing fingers there will be someone out to see him soon.