Adult representatives manage affairs for 2,500 people in Vorarlberg

Around 2,500 people in Vorarlberg have an adult representative who manages important matters on their behalf, ORF Vorarlberg reports. These representatives may terminate rental agreements, manage money, apply for social assistance or decide on a place in a care home when people can no longer handle such decisions without risking harm to themselves.

Those affected include people with cognitive impairments, people with mental illnesses, and older people with dementia or who have suffered a stroke, said Günter Nägele, head of the ifs adult representation service. They have in common that they can no longer fully assess certain decisions.

Four forms of representation

Austria has four forms of adult representation. Under a lasting power of attorney, a person decides in advance who should represent them in the future. With elected representation, the affected person chooses their representative while they are still capable of making decisions. Statutory representation is taken on by close relatives, while court-appointed representation is ordered when the other forms are insufficient.

Most adult representatives are relatives or people close to the affected person. Nägele told ORF Vorarlberg that this is often beneficial because relatives usually know the person and their circumstances better than an external representative.

The ifs adult representation service mainly becomes involved when there are no relatives or when relatives cannot take on the responsibility. Lawyers also act as representatives, particularly when legally complex issues arise, such as court proceedings or property sales.

Demand is rising

According to Nägele, the number of adult representations in Vorarlberg has reached an estimated 2,500. The total number across Austria has risen since the new adult protection law came into force in 2018.

Factors include an ageing population, changing family structures and increasing bureaucracy. Relatives are more likely to live farther away or be unable to take on the task. Banks and care homes are also paying closer attention to ensuring that contracts and decisions have proper legal safeguards.

Managing money is often particularly difficult, Nägele said. Representatives must ensure that a person’s money lasts until the end of the month, so some people receive their funds in smaller instalments. This can cause frustration, especially when representation was established against the person’s wishes. In some cases, representatives face insults or threats, although Nägele said this affects only a small proportion of clients.

There are regional differences in Austria. Nägele said Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg have fewer adult representations than some eastern provinces. He attributed this to a different approach in practice, with western provinces more likely to try to preserve people’s self-determination for longer, even when they may make mistakes.

Not everyone who needs support automatically requires an adult representative, Nägele said. Before a court-appointed representation is established, the ifs prepares an assessment report on behalf of the court to determine whether representation is necessary at all.