1.0Harris Liebermanhttps://harrislieberman.com.auAnn Eaglehttps://harrislieberman.com.au/author/ann-eagle/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content"><a href="https://harrislieberman.com.au/dont-think-mother-capacity-update-will-test/">I don’t think my mother has capacity to update her Will. Is there a test?</a></blockquote> <script type='text/javascript'> <!--//--><![CDATA[//><!-- !function(d,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(d.addEventListener)e=!0;if(d.wp=d.wp||{},!d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){var r,a,i,s,n,o=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]');for(r=0;r<c.length;r++)c[r].style.display="none";for(r=0;r<o.length;r++)if(a=o[r],e.source===a.contentWindow){if(a.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(i=parseInt(t.value,10)))i=1e3;else if(~~i<200)i=200;a.height=i}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),n=l.createElement("a"),s.href=a.getAttribute("src"),n.href=t.value,n.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===a)d.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),d.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(!o){o=!0;var e,t,r,a,i=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),s=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11\./),n=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content");for(t=0;t<n.length;t++){if(!(r=n[t]).getAttribute("data-secret"))a=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),r.src+="#?secret="+a,r.setAttribute("data-secret",a);if(i||s)(e=r.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),r.parentNode.replaceChild(e,r)}}}}(window,document); //--><!]]> </script><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://harrislieberman.com.au/dont-think-mother-capacity-update-will-test/embed/" width="600" height="338" title="“I don’t think my mother has capacity to update her Will. Is there a test?” — Harris Lieberman" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe>https://harrislieberman.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Elderly-Woman-1.jpg900600The question of capacity can arise in all sorts of situations including advanced old age, intellectual disability and physical and mental illness. The starting point is that all adults are assumed to have capacity and just because someone has a particular diagnosis does not necessarily mean they lack the capacity to give instructions or make their own decisions.