I've also posted this in the Elderly Parents section but realised that maybe I'm hoping for more of a legal procedure/possible consequences type of response.
Stuck on the horns of a practical/ethical/financial/emotional dilemma about how best to cope with mother's future care arrangements.
I have Power of Attorney for everything - registered with Office of Public Guardian.
I've been caring for her for about 7 years since she started getting less able.
She's 91, lives alone in bungalow, diagnosed with vascular dementia, mobile-ish with frame in house or pushed in wheelchair outdoors, losing weight, fairly bonkers but sharp enough at times, can be incontinent but washes out her pants and thinks I don't know - very secretive - entirely in denial about dementia/old age/frailty. Bit narcissistic, not much by way of conversation unless it's about her/her sisters/the past.
She would probably refuse other carers so I'm her only carer (no siblings), I live nearby and able to see her twice a day spending probably half an hour in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, feeding her and doing her housework.
She's financially independent and does quite well for pensions - a saver not a spender - as her care costs are nothing.
I feel (as does her GP) that her time of living entirely alone is probably coming to an end soon.
A house locally has come up for sale with a self-contained annexe.
I can't afford to buy it but she could if I sold her house and used most of her savings - about £400k all in.
I would want it to be in joint names - 50/50 possibly.
I have some money but nowhere near enough to buy half and it's all I've got to keep me until the end of my days. I won't be able to work and look after her soon.
If we buy this house, I would be her full-time carer.
I suppose the bottom line is - I'm going to be looking after her until either she dies or I have no choice but to put her in a care home.
I'm the beneficiary of her estate.
Local care homes cost about £1000 per week. She's obviously got the money but she's always been adamant about not wanting to go in a home - aren't we all though?
I know she would prefer the annexe arrangement.
I would consider it if I can own it 50/50 because it secures some inheritance/security/future for me.
Otherwise, I could find she goes into a care home anyway in a few years, she lives to a hundred and ten, the house has to be sold all the money's gone along with most of the rest of my life.
It's quite possible she could outlive me.
Whereas if I go with the care home option now, I might inherit nothing, but I have my own life immediately.
Are there any legal hurdles to me, as her attorney, buy a house with her 50/50 without actually having the 50%?
I understand there are moral issues with this and I am mindful of those.