A serious illness or an accident can happen suddenly. A protection mandate is a document that you can prepare in case you lose your capacity. The protection mandate lets you choose the people who will take care of you and your property and how. These people are legally called “mandataries”.
Choosing one or more mandataries
You can appoint a single mandatary to look after you and your property when you are no longer able to do so. You can also appoint more than one. If you appoint more than one, you can choose who will look after you and your welfare and who will look after your property.
To help you choose, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Is it someone you trust?
- Are they comfortable with paperwork and accounting?
- Will they have time to look after you and your property?
- Are they interested? Don’t be afraid to talk to them about it.
You can choose a close friend, family member, or a friend to be your mandatary. Depending on your situation, you can also appoint a professional (notary, accountant, etc.).
Someone to look after you and your welfare
When you appoint someone to look after you, this person can, among other things:
- accept or refuse medical care
- ensure that your basic needs are met (housing, food, clothing, hygiene care, etc.)
- choose certain end-of-life directives
Look after your property
When you appoint someone to look after your property, it goes beyond watering your plants or looking after your pets! This person acts on your behalf to manage your property and money. For example:
- going to the bank to deposit or withdraw money
- buying or selling your house needed
- managing your insurance or pension money
- paying your bills.