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YMorton Asked September 2020

Should I obtain a power of attorney?

My husband has vascular dementia. He is self sufficient at the moment. He has fallen a few times and I’ve had to call paramedics to come lift him.

AlvaDeer Sep 2020
Time to get paperwork done that you can get done; indeed if the dementia is advanced enough that your husband has already been adjudged incompetent in his own decisions it is too late for POA and wills. If your husband can answer the attorney's questions as to whether he understands the papers he is signing then he is competent enough to do it. Otherwise you would need to apply for guardianship when needed.

Marcia732 Sep 2020
I agree with everyone. Time to get this paperwork prepared. In addition, I would go to each financial institution where you have accounts and make sure they will accept the power of attorney you have drawn up. If they won't, you can get the forms they want to use signed and notarized.

I was surprised to find that Social Security Administration and the Veterans Administration would only accept the power of attorney they have designed. I think Medicare had their own form they wanted to use too. They wouldn't accept the POA we had.

I'm sorry your husband is failing. But even if he weren't, getting your financial ducks in a row is a good idea. Don't panic but get started on this important task.

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Geaton777 Sep 2020
Yes, you must EACH get this in place for yourselves, and I strongly recommend a PoA who is younger than you by 20 years if at all possible. Or you should consider naming a "back-up" PoA, like an attorney you trust.

funkygrandma59 Sep 2020
Yes, definitely!!! ASAP, while your husband is still able to be considered competent. You will need a durable POA and also a medical POA. Time to get your ducks in a row.

sjplegacy Sep 2020
Absolutely!!! Do it now before your husband can no longer be competent enough to willfully assign you as his agent. You'll need both a finacial POA and a healthcare POA. These will allow you to make financial and healthcare decisions on his behalf when he can't anymore. These documents are probably the two most critical legal papers one can have.

In addition to these, do you both have wills and living wills? There are other documents you may want to create with an attorney, but these are the impotant ones. Do not wait!

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