How can I get help for the sister that has FTD and lives alone in Junction, Utah?

Thank you all for your advice. Her daughter is her primary POA and I am her secondary POA. The main problem is that my sister doesn't think there is anything wrong with her (an FTD symptom) and she does not want to leave her house and small town. Her daughter and siblings would love to have her in Texas or Arizona.

We have looked into legal guardian ~ but the attorney we talked with in Utah doesn't feel we have strong enough evidence.... he said "making bad decisions doesn't mean you can strip a persons rights." I do understand what he is saying, but I am afraid that something is going to go very wrong soon. However, the conversation was a couple months ago and bazaar behavior continues to increase.

I think the first thing is she needs to be moved near a family member. The one problem would be being able to get Medicaid in another state. She may have to live in that state for a certain time to show residence.
Next thing is can she private pay for a facility until she qualifies for Medicaid.
If possible your family meeting should be one on one. The person willing to have her near them, should check out what services thst are available in their area. Office of Aging and Social Services are good places. I would also call the local Medicaid office to find out when she would qualify. Someone needs POAs if she is able to understand what they are. Otherwise, its guardianship.

I'm so sorry for this diagnosis. What a shock!

People who have dementia cannot safely live alone beyond the very earliest stage. It sounds like your sister is past that, and is declining.

Among the first things your sister will need help with is where she will live. Can she get by with some in-home help for a while? Or does she need 24-hour supervision? Can she afford that in her home? Is moving in with a family member a suitable option? Assisted living? Memory care? A nursing home? There are lots of related issues, but I think the first decision has to be where will she get the supervision she needs to keep her safe.

Family meetings are a good idea, especially if family is genuinely interested in Sister's welfare. But it is also important that there is one person in charge. Getting financial and healthcare POA in place is very important. Family input is great. Decisions by committee don't often work well.

Keep in touch here. It helps to not be alone.

I'm sorry this is happening to her and you. Ahmijoy is right in saying to get all of the legal stuff squared away. You need to get POAs in order while she is considered competent, so that she has someone who can manage her assets and advocate for her both financially and medically. 

Be proactive. Research, research. research. Go visit facilities that might be good for her. In this situation, if she is willing, it may be best to move her to a facility near family. 

Hope this helps you!

Probably the best thing for you to do is get together, even by text or private message with all family members who should be involved in making the decision. You can all share information and ideas and together come to a conclusion over what what can be done. If your sister is still functioning, a trip/get-together should be planned to spend some time with her and get her ideas on what should be done. This would be the time to decide who will be her POA if she doesn’t already have one, and who will have the say so to sell her house, etc. when the time comes. This way, everything is above board and everyone knows what’s going on, including sister. While you’re visiting her, you can also check out agencies in her town which might offer help and contact them.