How is it decided you lack capacity

As dementia progresses, you will not be able to make decisions about your health. It is your health care professionals and carers who will decide when you can no longer make decisions about your health care. This is likely to happen in the later stages of dementia.

In legal and clinical terms, a person lacks mental capacity in relation to a matter if at the material time the person is unable to make a decision for himself or herself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain.

How people close to you can support

If you wish to appoint a person close to you (called a 'key person') to assist the health care professionals, you are advised to discuss your Advance Decision and Advance Statement with him/her so that they are fully aware of your values, choices and views on end of life issues.