What Joann said. The POA gives your the ability not the obligation. Simply don't use it or use it to the degree you feel comfortable. However, if by your POA you put her in a position that would compromise her if you walked away, that's something to keep in mind. Went to pick up my mother one time from the hospital and took her home. Even though I did not use the POA to pick her up I was on file at the hospital. My attorney told me afterwards, when I brought her home, that I "could" have been held responsible for neglect had anything happened to her during that time. Its a game the hospitals play to push responsibility. If you have done nothing else but assist with bill paying and the like, you should be able stop at any time. This is based on the information I was giving by my legal council. I contacted disability services in my area and the state(DHS). Even through a lot of people cringe at getting the state involved. If you are proactive they are a great FREE resource and have a lot of external resources they can give you. They can also review the situation and help make recommendations, including a state(depending on where you live) appointed Conservator or Guardianship if needed.
I saw your profile that you are caring for someone. Having POA does not mean you have to physically care for someone and be at their beck and call.
As POA you are a representative of the person who has assigned you. Financially you make sure their bills are paid. If they need care and they have the money, you use it to get them the care or place them where they get care. Medically, you carry out their wishes and make informed decisions when they can't. If this responsibility is too much for you thats OK, then step down. But realize if u do this and there is no secondary, the person will have no one to speak for them when needed unless competent to assign another POA.
There are a number of reasons that we need to step down, mainly because the person who assigned us is not cooperative. They bulk at every turn usually when we try to get them help. "No, it must be the POA to do the work." But really that is not the responsibility of the POA, to care for the person. So, if this is your situation, can you go to the Lawyer who drew up the POA? If so, tell the Lawyer you are revoking the POA. It may just a matter of you sending a letter to that lawyer saying "as of 12/7/2022 I am revoking my responsibilities of POA for your client Jane Doe, of 22 Main St., American Town, State" You may want to mention why. If u cannot afford a lawyer, there is legal aide that charges on scale. They maybe able to write a letter to the principles lawyer or to the principle themselves.
Went to pick up my mother one time from the hospital and took her home. Even though I did not use the POA to pick her up I was on file at the hospital. My attorney told me afterwards, when I brought her home, that I "could" have been held responsible for neglect had anything happened to her during that time. Its a game the hospitals play to push responsibility. If you have done nothing else but assist with bill paying and the like, you should be able stop at any time. This is based on the information I was giving by my legal council.
I contacted disability services in my area and the state(DHS). Even through a lot of people cringe at getting the state involved. If you are proactive they are a great FREE resource and have a lot of external resources they can give you. They can also review the situation and help make recommendations, including a state(depending on where you live) appointed Conservator or Guardianship if needed.
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As POA you are a representative of the person who has assigned you. Financially you make sure their bills are paid. If they need care and they have the money, you use it to get them the care or place them where they get care. Medically, you carry out their wishes and make informed decisions when they can't. If this responsibility is too much for you thats OK, then step down. But realize if u do this and there is no secondary, the person will have no one to speak for them when needed unless competent to assign another POA.
There are a number of reasons that we need to step down, mainly because the person who assigned us is not cooperative. They bulk at every turn usually when we try to get them help. "No, it must be the POA to do the work." But really that is not the responsibility of the POA, to care for the person. So, if this is your situation, can you go to the Lawyer who drew up the POA? If so, tell the Lawyer you are revoking the POA. It may just a matter of you sending a letter to that lawyer saying "as of 12/7/2022 I am revoking my responsibilities of POA for your client Jane Doe, of 22 Main St., American Town, State" You may want to mention why. If u cannot afford a lawyer, there is legal aide that charges on scale. They maybe able to write a letter to the principles lawyer or to the principle themselves.