MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - A survey1 commissioned by the Curateur public du Québec revealed that more than 2.8 million Québecers, or 42% of the adult population, have prepared their protection mandate. "This is good news," stated Québec's Public Curator, Normand Jutras. "This figure is up six percentage points from the previous surveys in 2010 and 2006. Although the will and protection mandate are both important, it is troubling to see that more Québecers are concerned about what will happen to their assets when they die than what will become of themselves and their patrimony in the event they are declared incapable. The survey showed that 58% of respondents have a will compared to 42% who have a mandate."
For Mr. Jutras, the foresight shown by many Québecers is to be applauded. However, certain beliefs about the mandate are cause for concern. "The survey showed that one in four respondents say they will eventually prepare their mandate, but have no plans to do so in the the next twelve months. This is a risk no one should take, because we never know what the future has in store for us. It's best to put your wishes down on paper when you're young and healthy. There's no valid reason for not having a mandate, which contains the clear expression of your wishes in the event you become incapable," he said.
The protection mandate allows a person to specify his wishes in the event he becomes incapable and to appoint one or more loved ones to take care of him and his assets. The Public Curator points out that increasing numbers of Québecers are thinking ahead, but that there's still a lot of progress to be made. "Incapacity can strike at any age. No one is immune from an accident or a traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, this isn't something that younger people seem to worry about, as evidenced by the fact that only 14% of people age 18-34 have a mandate."
The survey debunked eight myths2 about incapacity, in particular that everyone looks after their own interests. No fewer than 87% of respondents would take steps to obtain authorization to act on behalf of a loved one who was declared incapable.
An example of foresight
The survey revealed five typical attitudes3 about the protection mandate, ranging from complete indifference to strong foresight.
Éléonore Durocher-Bergeron, a 26-year-old woman who just prepared her mandate, is among those who are thinking ahead. "I'm very aware that anything could happen, for example, a life-changing accident or illness that would not only completely change my life but also cause a great deal of heartache, not to mention hassle, for my loved ones," she stated.
About the Curateur public du Québec
The Curateur public provides protection to more than 42,500 adults in Québec, including 13,495 adults who have been declared unfit to care for themselves or their property and who have been placed under public supervision; 17,354 people are under private protective supervision, and 12,382 have an approved protection mandate. Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2015, the Curateur public is the provincial authority in the protection of incapable persons.
1: Survey of 1,000 people conducted by BIP in December 2015. Response rate of 43.5%, margin of error of ±3.1%, 19 times out of 20. http://www.curateur.gouv.qc.ca/cura/publications/sond_mand_2016_rapp.pdf.
2: See the table 8 myths about the protection mandate.
3: See the table Breakdown of Québecers according to their attitude toward the mandate.
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SOURCE Le Curateur public du Québec
Pierre-Luc Lévesque, media relations, Media line: 514-864-7562, Virtual press gallery: www.curateur.gouv.qc.ca/medias
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