I live near my parents and visit them regularly. My mother was diagnosed with Dementia some time ago and now has quite substantial care needs. Until recently these needs have been met by my father. However, things have now started to deteriorate, and I believe it is because my father has developed mental health needs of his own. I am getting very worried that Mum is no longer receiving the support that she needs. I know she would prefer to stay in her own home with my father and therefore I don’t believe she would agree to going into a care home. Can you advise the best way to resolve this situation?

Q:      My boyfriend and I want to take his 10-year-old son skiing with us at Christmas, but his ex is being difficult about it as she says it isn’t in the ‘terms of the arrangements’ that he spends more than one day with his father at Christmas. Obviously, we need to get the holiday booked. Will my boyfriend have to apply to the Court for permission to take his son out of the country and extend his stay with him?

My daughter and her husband are starting their own business and want me to invest in it rather than them take a bank loan. I do have spare capital as my husband died in 2020 and left me well cared for. However, in today’s uncertain financial climate, I am worried what will happen if the business fails. Would I be a creditor?

My ex and I have a Child Arrangements Order regarding our two children, but due to my job situation I need to change the terms of it. One of the things I need to change is where the children live. The Order states they should live with me for half the time, but as I am going to be working away for the foreseeable future, this will no longer be feasible. I did speak to my ex about it but she wasn’t happy. Is it possible to apply to the court to change the Order?

I spent two weeks in bed with campylobacter food poisoning. As I have autoimmune problems, I have been left with additional long term health problems. My GP sent off a sample which proved I had it. I had attended the hotel for a monthly club meeting and four of us were ill after eating that night, although two of the group did not see their GP. When I phoned the restaurant, they were defensive, not even offering a refund for the meal. What should I do?

At the weekend I rushed my wife to hospital by car as I thought she was having a heart attack and wanted to avoid a potentially lengthy wait for an ambulance. I was panicked, and I know I drove way above the speed limit. I also drove through two speed cameras that flashed. As yet I have not heard anything, but if I get more points on my licence, I will be over twelve points. Will the police take my wife’s circumstances into consideration? Do I need to get a solicitor? I really need my driving licence to do my job.

As a woman in her mid-forties who is perimenopausal, am I entitled to expect my employer to make allowances for me in the workplace? I ask because I find my employer’s attitude both unsympathetic and unhelpful when it comes to recognising and catering for my symptoms, which currently range from depression and irritability to hot flushes and urinary problems. Last week he intimated that I should look for another job if I couldn’t cope with this one.

My partner and I are both in our seventies with no immediate family. We live separately and own our homes. I made a new Will recently, leaving my entire estate to charity. My partner refuses to discuss making a Will. In a bid to make him see sense, please can you explain what happens if you die and have not made a Will?

My brother suffered a severe stroke in his 30s whilst playing football and may have permanent brain damage. Like many his age, he did not have a Will or a power of attorney. He was separated from his wife, with two children. My parents are currently taking care of his household bills etc, but in view of his prognosis I feel arrangements for his care, and provision for his children, need to be formalized, not least as I believe under the rules of intestacy his wife could inherit from him if he dies.

I was widowed a few years ago and have no children or even godchildren. My only living relative now is my sister, and she lives abroad. Over the past year this has played on my mind because I have watched two close friends lose mental capacity due to dementia. In their cases they had children who had a registered lasting power of attorney to handle their affairs, but what does someone like me do when they have no-one to act for them?