I need POA for my mom but she is a coma and can't sign her name. Now what?

I would try to not focus right now on whether the doctor was at fault for something. Just focus on being with her at the hospice.

If your immediate need is to pay some bills (and you are not already a signer on her bank account), then an emergency conservatorship could be obtained. But unless a bank is about to foreclose on her house (if she has missed previous payments, for example), call them up and explain you can't pay it right now. Most banks will work with you. If it's for paying a credit card bill, you can always make the minimum payment and then be re-paid later, from her estate. Tough to think about, I know. If on the other hand you are talking about moving her money around, this is what a lot of elderly people fear and why they often do NOT want to sign a DPOA. It would be very easy for you to make a mistake with these transfers, which is why you should consult an attorney.

If you need health care decision making powers, check with all of her doctors. Perhaps they have a proxy document on file for her. This would certainly be easier than getting an emergency guardianship.

Good luck during this difficult time.

I didn't have medical POA for my dad but when he was in that situation, as his daughter, the doctors just worked with me anyway; nothing was ever said or asked about it

Many people on here say you can't get a POA but something needs to be done in this situation. Like the one suggestion says, get an emergency appointment with a judge to get guardianship of your mother to make decisions for her. You should be able to get this because you are a daughter, not just a friend of hers. This should have been done when she first went in for treatment in the hospital. You also say that the doctor is to blame for her condition. How did he do that? Contact a lawyer to see what your options are for that if you can prove negligence by the doctor.

I'm so sorry you are in this difficult situation. Unfortunately, only a person with capacity can grant a POA. If your mother recovers, and regains her capacity, then it would be prudent to do it then. If there is some sort of financial reason you need access to her money, for placement in a skilled nursing facility for example, then conservatorship/guardianship (the name varies from state to state) is likely your only alternative. Unfortunately, you really have to gage her likelihood of recovery. I know it's tough to think about that right now. A lot will depend on what you need the power for. If her condition persists for several weeks, you may want to consider the guardianship route. It's a hard decision.

This is a difficult situation since she did not grant you POA when she was healthy and cognizant. You definitely will have to go through the court system for this legal situation which means hiring an attorney.

TLAWR30, I am sorry to hear about your mother and hope for the best. Do you mean POA for healthcare decisions? There are two types of POA, one for healthcare and one for finances. It could be the medical personnel are hoping for a POA for healthcare in case important health decisions need to be made at some stage, and this is where it might be helpful to have it. I would ask an attorney what could be done in this case. I have heard of cases where sometimes the patient is ruled as incompetent if unable to make decisions for themselves, and the decision making is handed to a family member after going through the legal process.

GA, I had the same questions. When someone is in their last days, a POA or guardianship is not useful except in extreme circumstances. Most medical professionals are willing to work with family in letting them know what is going on. We don't know what the negligence of the doctor was, but it sounds pretty bad what you're going through, tlawr. Are the hospice people letting you know how things are? They are normally very good at talking with family.

Let's step back a moment. What are the issues for which you need a POA? Is it specifically to make medical decisions for your mother? To handle financial or legal transactions? Is your father alive, and do you have other siblings?

Has someone at hospice told you that you need to have a POA?

And without being negative about her chances, what is the prognosis for recovering from the coma, and leaving hospice?

What I'm wondering is whether you really need one or not. Are medical staff refusing to work with you and provide information unless you're named as a proxy in a POA?

Unfortunately, given your mother's situation, there's no way that you can get one unless she comes out of the coma. So that's why I question if you really need one or if there's another way to handle the issues that concern you.

Once again Pam S, while your answer has merit, your delivery and lack of warmth and compassion is totally lacking in this sad and difficult situation! Please try to find your compassion for human beings who are struggling!

POA and Guardianship end when the patient dies. At that point, the Executor named in the Will takes over. Hope you can find the Will.

TLAWR, sorry to read that your Mom is is Hospice care. Unfortunately there is no way now for your to obtain a Power of Attorney for your Mom. Only your Mom can identify someone to be her POA, and now that is not possible.

It sounds like you already have a POA ready to sign. Who prepared this document for you? Was the POA a form off of the Internet as no Attorney would prepare such a document without your Mom being present and of clear mind.

Curious, why do you need a POA now?

I'm sorry to hear that your mom is in hospice care and is in a coma. What she needs if for you to file for an emergency guardianship of her so that someone has the authority to tend to things in her behalf.