Jul 2020
As well as Covid-19 having devastating effects on sufferers and their families, it seems the after effects following recovery are being felt as well. The huge effect of the virus will no doubt be felt in months and years to come - which is why families need to be planning ahead to avoid further heartache.
In an article by the BBC, tens of thousands of people suffering more long term symptoms of Covid-19 has prompted NHS England into launching a new online portal and recovery advice service.
“Your Covid Recovery” is a 12 week programme offering support for those suffering symptoms such as post-viral fatigue syndrome, as well as giving access to support groups, exercise tutorials and mental health services. By launching the service, at a cost of around £8million, this shows the Government is acknowledging that the symptoms from the virus can be long suffering, even after recovery.
In a previous blog I spoke about how the recovery period and any subsequent on-going complaints are still relatively unknown and that there was even a chance that the virus had links to more than just lung disease, but there were risks of severe mental illness as well with links to strokes and even dementia.
This tells us that there’s never a better time to plan for the unexpected. Think about what could happen to you or your family members if you were unable to look after yourself. How would you pay rent and other bills? Who would look after children? Would you wish to receive any particular medical treatment if you became severely ill and do your family know what these wishes are?
There are other considerations too. Have you thought about how you might access any online accounts? Paypal for example or Facebook? Think about any digital assets you own and how these can be accessed if you are unable to do so yourself. Did you know as well, that digital assets are handled differently to physical assets, because it can be trickier to prove who “owns” any access rights to anything posted online?
Making a will or drafting a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is the best way to secure your wishes in law. Talk to your family and prepare a letter of wishes, and speak to a solicitor for the best advice for you. Speak to the Private Client team at Downs Solicitors to see how we can help.
