My mom is going into a personal care unit in a nursing home. We are using the funds in her checking account to pay for this. Is this right?

Power of attorney is too late if your Mom suffers any dementia; you need guardianship so you can pay bills in her name, not with your own, causing you problems with whose money is in that account and whose being used. Need to learn to keep records or hire a fiduciary to do so. She may in future require medicaid and so this is crucial. It is never wise to meld money and put names on accounts as other than POD. It is much better to be POA or guadian/conservator and keep the records. The automatic payment is fine, but who is getting the receipts to be certain it goes well and not too much takien and etc. See an elder law attorney to arrange to handle financial in a professional way if you are the one responsible would be my advice. Your Mom's funds are able to pay for this consult.

If you expect to pay for her care from her funds for a long time, you'd be better to put it in an income-generating investment account of some kind so she doesn't run out of money. Money in a checking account will earn no appreciable interest, and with inflation it will be worth less and less every year as the nursing home expenses go up. (My mother's place goes up $150/month every year.)

Check with a place like Charles Schwab or Fidelity to see about opening an account and investing her money in some safe income-generating investments.

I think I would tread the path of caution and consult with a well-qualified eldercare attorney on this. Use mom's money for her/his fee.

There shoukd be absolutely NO co-minglong of money in this account. The only money that goes in is mom's and receipts and records need to be maintained for every outlay, including reimbusements to you for stuff you've bought for her.