How important is a current ID card for my Mom?

My Mom [97] still uses her old driver's license as her ID. We have yet for anyone to question the very old expiration date. In fact, used it last week when Mom went to the ER.

Cactus,

NYC recently launched the "ID NYC", and at least 1 million people have gotten theirs. It's free, grants you access to City buildings, helps you apply for public assistance, and, the best part about it is that immigration status does not matter. So you know I had to run and get it.

ID? It's a must at any age.

I live in Texas. My mother owns a car in her name, but no current drivers license because she is 88 and quit driving several years ago. She is now dying and bedridden, and under hospice care. The car was used to take her to the dr. or hospital by other family. We are trying to get a copy of the title so we can transfer it to me, her daughter, but they want a current ID. What to do? She is coherent, but bed ridden.

I'd get her one if you can, but if you've got POA for everything and she won't be traveling by air you might not ever need it. Funny thing happened when I went to fly my mom from Pgh PA to Little Rock - could not find her ID, drove her down to the DMV that was open the afternoon before Memorial Day weekend, barely managing car transfers with her wheelchair, and ended up getting her a full fledged driver license because the non-driver ID would have taken longer. It was pretty hysterical because she started commenting about a Muslim lady who was not taking off her veil for the photo and thought she was a nun. And it was very sweet because they bent over backwards to help us, were staying late on a holiday weekend, and trusted that I would not actually let her drive.

I only found one interesting way out of being there for one state, you may want to check your own state's rules and regs:

Replacing Your ID Card
To replace a lost, stolen, or damaged ID card, fill out the Application for Driver License or Non-Driver ID Card (Form DSMV 450) and take it to any DMV office.
You'll need to bring proof of identity, and pay a $10 fee.
If you're temporarily out of state, you can apply for your duplicate by mail. You'll need to:
Complete the Application for Driver License or Non-Driver ID Card (Form DSMV 450). Complete the Out of State Residence form (form DSMV 594).
Pay the $10 fee by check or money order made out of "State of NH-DMV".
Send all of the above to:
NH Dept. of Safety
DMV - Driver Licensing
23 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305

Worried Son: If she is bedridden, she has no need for ID.
An expired passport or drivers license is fine. If she goes to the ER they want her health insurance card and medicare/social security ID and YOUR health care proxy or POA.

How hard is it to get an id for my mom, if she is bed ridden? What will I need?

Thank you all for good advice. I will make an appt soon for her ID card and report the License as lost. I still think that her purse is here in the house "somewhere", but just to be safe I will report it.

You have to have an ID for everything now.

The missing ID can be used for identity theft. Go to the DMV, report the missing ID and get the non-driver ID which you will need for many things, bank, MD, hospitals, pharmacy etc.

When my mom moved here and gave up her license, I found we needed it for her bank account and also when we went to DMV to apply for a handicap sticker for parking. They issued her ID it didn't take that long to get it and it does come in handy for the bank stuff.

My Mom never drove so we got her an ID card at the RMV which never expires.. She hasn't used it for anything other than getting on a plane which she won't ever be doing again!