Is it a crime to take funds for personal use from parents with Alzheimer when you have POA?

It was my understanding when I was given DPOA that my Mother's money was to be spent on her needs and that I could pay for work that needed to be done to her home, such as termite tenting....I COULD NOT HOWEVER, spend any of her money on myself. No buying a car or paying off my credit card or going on a vacation..... I was made a stewart of her money, protecting it basically. I believe I was also told that I could be prosecuted for taking her money and blowing it on myself. I cannot believe that anyone can get away with this, they are basically stealing from the estate, their own parent.

On the other hand I perform all care and my sisters feel no compunction to raise a hand to help and one lives with us. So if they have the nerve to complain to me about how much money I have spent, the fight will be on. They are receiving an income, I'm not, they are paying into a pension plan, I'm not, I am caring for our mother, because they choose not to. I am not throwing my Mom's money away I am saving it, but now i wonder for what, if she should need to go into a nursing home down the road it will all have to be spent and there will be no inheritance anyway!

I too provide statement copies and an expense report to both siblings. One tried to accuse me of stealing from my mother, and tried to pull the other sibling into the web of lies. I was alerted to this by the second sibling and immediately told the first one that I had never taken a dime but had spent thousands of my own dollars to update Mom's home, if she wanted proof, hire an accountant and I will pull out all the documents. Funny thing is this sibling is the only person who EVER took money from Mom and NEVER repaid a cent!

I have nothing to hide and can live with a clear conscience!

LEP627 is more or less correct, and if you are taking money for support while caregiving it is best to have it spelled out as a legal contract for a fair market value in advance. People have gotten away with using bank accounts and credit cards if their names are on the accounts, but could still possibly be at least questioned on it. It seems very wrong that caregivers who are doing the right thing can get in so much trouble as we have seen on a couple other posts recently, while others who are clearly abusing cannot seem to be stopped.