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ARTICLE · 27 APRIL 2026

Alzheimer’s Is The Liar

Casey & Moss LLP
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When siblings disagree about who should serve as power of attorney for a parent with dementia, each often claims the parent trusts only them. A mediator explores why family members in these disputes frequently overlook the most likely explanation: that Alzheimer's disease itself is causing the parent to make contradictory statements to different children.

CanadaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Angela Casey
Angela Casey
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As a mediator, I have seen the same dynamic play out in many power of attorney disputes. Sibling A swears that the parent suffering from dementia doesn’t trust Sibling B, and wants Sibling A to act as POA for property and personal care. Sibling B tells me the opposite: the parent is highly mistrustful of Sibling A and insists that Sibling B is the only one that can be trusted to make substitute decisions about finances and health care.

Most of the time, I believe both of them.

I try very hard in our caucus meetings to ask questions aimed at encouraging each of the parties to explore whether both things might be true. I am surprised at how closed litigants are to the possibility that Alzheimer’s disease is the true villain in the dispute.

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