I have power of attorney - Can my mom sign herself out of the nursing home?

As long she is mentally competent, yes she can sign herself out. POA doesn't give you control over her, it allows you to make decisions and carry out her wishes.

WorriedinCali is correct. Without any authority over her you will have to stand on the sidelines and watch the train wreck in slow motion. When it comes to the point that she can no longer make decisions for herself and your PoA kicks in, then you can place her somewhere local to you. Most likely she is in danger of injuring herself from a fall. Then maybe she will make a better choice. We struggled with this with my stepFIL and his Parkinsons. He wanted to stay in his own home and have my husband and sons drive there in the middle of the weekday night to pick his 6'5" body up off the floor. That happened about twice then we called social services and they got guardianship of him and he went into a facility where he got the care he needed. Blessings!

She can do anything that she can do. POA doesn't give you control only authority.

My dad wanted a thousand different things, I told him that he could do whatever he was able, that meant no help from me. Whatever he could pull off was okay with me.

If she wants to leave make it very clear that she will be in control of her own situation and you will not contribute anything because you totally disagree with her living on her own.

Remember that her choices DO NOT obligate you to do anything.

I think that parents try to force the issue of making their children their caregivers, by saying no and enforcing boundaries it can change their choices. If not they get to deal with the consequences not you.

If your Mom is mentally capable of making the decision she can not only make the decision to leave and go home, but she can remove any POA she gave. If not, then you are the one making decisions and she will need to be told that leaving without a discharge could result in Memory Care which would be a much less nice living situation and drain money so that she might end up with care not nearly as good. So it all depends on what Mom can absorb. If she is capable of being reasoned with then sit and speak with her, with doctor present if necessary.

So, I take it she is making noise about wanting to go home? Has her health improved enough for her to be able to safely live alone at home? Is she mentally competent? Can her doc at the nursing home do an eval to state if she is able to live safely at home alone due to her physical and/or mental issues?

If you want her to stay in NH, do not take on ANY responsibility for helping in any way for her to move back home. NONE. If your mom has to make all the arrangements, perhaps that will help it NOT happen.

Have you talked to NH director or someone about this for advice on how to proceed? I guess they have a vested financial interest in her staying so you might be able to use that to your advantage.

If she is competent she can sign herself out. If not done already, get Power of Attorney (POA). If you take her back home you can lock up the medication and have a close family member administer it instead, and institute fall prevention measures at home such as floor alarms, uncluttered home, well lit areas, and so on. If she refuses to these terms then you can refuse to have her live with you.

Have a pharmacist review fall risks with medications, and work with her doctor what can be done to make things more safe. Psychotropics and narcotics increase risk of fall substantially. IF she cannot be trusted with the medication, some close family member has to do it for her for the proper dose.

Alert her friends and relatives and ask them not to pick her up from the nursing facility. Does she still have a key to her house or her car? You might consider changing the locks on the house and selling her car.

People with Parkinson's can sometimes improve their mobility with regular structured activity or PT. If she does go back home all alone, those improvements may be lost.

Get a doctor evaluation to help decide if she is able to stay home by herself. Go with her to the appointment and tall doctor all the problems she has at home. If she is mentally incompetent or physically impaired, have doctor tell her and you.

If the decision is for nursing home, sell the house, sell the car. Help her decide which items to bring with her to make the nursing home more homelike and which to let go. Have her decide which items to give to family or friends and which to sell or donate. Have a realtor come give advice on staging her place and sell it soon. As soon as you act as if nursing home is "home," the sooner she'll come to accept it as home too,

Yes

Advise the Director of the facility that she is not to sign herself out.