In an ageing society, more people need others to take decisions on their behalf. But the law is quite strict on this.
So if you need to take decisions on behalf of a relative you need a Lasting Power of Attorney. The Financial Times’ guide said that while you can just appoint one or more relatives (two is better than one in case the individual isn’t available when urgently needed), many people also appoint a solicitor as one of their attorneys. Registering an LPA takes about 4 weeks.