Can we put mom in a home? What kind of document do we need? Mom knows we are likely to do this. She agrees it's time. But has dementia.

Bike, the senior facility will evaluate your Mom to see if she is ready to be placed in Assisted Living/Memory Care.

Your Mom can only give you Power of Attorney if she is still able to understand what is the reasoning behind a POA. Since your Mom doesn't have a Power of Attorney, I am wondering if your Mom has a current Will, and a Medical Directive. It is best to use an Elder Law Attorney to draw up this paperwork as outlines by your State laws.

Next you need to check to see if your Mom will be able to budget for the cost of Memory Care, or would she need to qualify through Medicaid [which is different from Medicare].

Mom should absolutely be part of this process. She should not be made to feel you are “putting her in a home”. Respect her ability to make her own decisions even if she falters occasionally. This is not easy for her. She should be along on all tours of facilities and her opinions given great consideration. Be prepared for second thoughts on her part and be ready with much kindness and understanding of what is happening to her.

Since she agrees then get her involved in the process as much as possible so it is her choosing to move vs you "putting her in a home". And getting her to assign a POA should be part of that, she can still do that as long as she satisfies her lawyer that she understands what she is doing.