What can I do to override existing power of attorney and healthcare power of attorney?

Here is possibly where to start:

Contact the lawyer that drew up the POA's in the beginning. They may be of some help. If not notify your local Senior Services Department.
Or you may have to contact a lawyer on your own.
Do this sooner rather than later and keep any proof you have of the misuse of funds and improper decisions.

queensizediva: I used to know some elders in Statesboro, but they've since moved to Metter. As others have suggested, yes, take her to her attorney and if she does not have one, retain one NOW. Don't let all of the elders' funds dwindle away, not to mention (and just as important) their health!

If your mother is not competent she may not be able to go into the lawyers office and simply change the paperwork. This may require a court case and showing the judge that the POA has been abusing his/her authority.
At that point a Guardianship may be necessary. (personal opinions, a pain it the butt and expensive route to take but that may be what is necessary)

Take your mother into her lawyer and have her sign to disallow the previous POAs. Then draw up another and have a reliable person assigned (financial and health). Appoint an executor also. If the POA has their name on her checking account then delete that checking account and create another (lots of work if ssa and pension is automatic). Give the new papers to the bank and anyone else involved including annuities, CDs and savings accounts. Don't tell anyone about it until you are finished making the new accounts. Then apologize to keep the peace.

Major Texas city.

There is adult protective services for your county or state, and more specifically, if you can afford to hire an elder law attorney, that would be best. You want an attorney who is board certified in elder law. There are several in each manor Texas city.

Yes, se the lawyer who did the POAs. You may be able to sue which u might have to do. This could effect Medicaid down the line.

Contact the lawyer that drew up the original papers.
You may have to prepare for a legal battle.
And has been suggested Dept. on Aging.
Or if you have a Senior Services in your town they may be able to help.

Queen - situations like this where the elders children are NOT selected to be their parents DPOA & MPOA but a trusted niece /nephew /neighbor are named DPOA MPOA can be very very contentious. What is likely to happen if APS gets involved and they determine there are areas of concern is that the elders will be named as wards of the state (this can be done as a emergency action too if APS gets involved) and a court appointed temporary guardian will be named and they will take over. The guardian will more than likely not be you (as your folks did not selected you initially as their dpoa) nor other family but instead a professional vetted by the state court appointed guardian. They could be an atty. or come from a list of trained guardians established by your state / county. All decisions regarding your parents living situation, health care, finances, etc will be totally under the purview of the guardian. Guardian can consult with family on decisions but DOES NOT HAVE TO. It will likely be viewed as that your parents didn't choose you initially to be thier DPOA, that you should not be involved ever.

Just because you are their daughter does not mean you are going to magically take over and take the old DPOA to task. If your parents have been in a situation of gross neglect for a prolonged period of time and you did nothing, you can be viewed as complicit in the situation and so unfit to ever be named guardian.

If family digress into "she said / he said" bickering, the judge will more than likely totally move past ever naming family and permanently appoint an outside guardian. Again, guardian can consult with family, but does NOT have to.

Also if there is anything amiss in your background -like less than stellar credit report, any prior legal issues, anyone in your household having felonies, you & your spouse do not have jobs with stable income, etc - you can probably forget ever getting appointed guardian. Running a credit & priors history on potential guardians seems to be pretty routine by the courts. Often family - even well intentioned & loving family - will be bypassed for guardian over a court appointed one as the courts have to think of what is the long term best situation for the ward as well as for the required reporting to the court.

I would report to your county Health & Human services Department of Aging. If your parents have the mental capacity to make decisions they can rescind the POA buy having an attorney write a letter to the cousin certified mail and drafting new documents. If they do not have the capacity then an Attorney can seek guardianship. Guardianship is an ongoing legal relationship with the oversight of the court so if they have the capacity to make decisions rescinding the POA and creating a new one is the easiest and most cost effective way. The county human services will address the abuse if your parents want to press charges.

Abuse or neglect of elders can be reported by anyone. Not only that, but you can report anonymously. People who work in certain professions such as nurses are mandated by law to report abuse. Which types of professions are mandatory reporters varies according to state laws. Some locales are making it easier to report abuse, by providing 800 numbers, protecting those that report, and adding school teachers and employees to the list of those who are mandated.

I believe many states provide training on reporting abuse. These are sometimes available to the public as workshops you can attend, depending on where you live. These train nurses but also educate everyone on how to speak up when you see something, instead of pretending it doesn't exist, or remaining silent due to fear.

If your cousin is making bad healthcare decisions, maybe this needs to be brought to the attention of the medical providers who are also legally obligated to report.

I know often it is hard to mobilize anyone, but be persistent. If you are honest and you continue to tell the truth and don't back down, then eventually you will win others to your side.

I have been in several situations in the past when I had overwhelmingly obvious evidence of abuse. Two decades ago I found out I could report anonymously but I knew that to do so would put me at risk. At that time it didn't seem that there were any protections provided for me given the particulars of the situation should the abusers have "guessed" who had filed the anonymous report. So I tried a rather roundabout way. My first attempt consisted of a phone call where I was treated with gross disrespect and told to "mind my own business." I knew this person, though he was supposed to be a professional, was not acting in the victim's best interest. I also realized that he was being paid by the abusers, so maybe I had chosen the wrong person. Then, I tried to report the abuse to someone I knew personally and trusted, who had much more clout than I did.

I heard those three words I really needed to hear then, and even now, two decades later, I love hearing those words, "I believe you."

It took less than two weeks. I know now that what I told this person traveled right up the ranks to the administrators who were the ones who employed certain personnel directly involved. Now, they were forced to take action, to help the victim get away, and provide a safe place. Whereas I did not have this power myself, somehow I managed to get those who had much more legal power than I did to help change the situation.

You can report the abuse to the APS of your parents' county. You personally can't override the POAs. That can only be done by your parents if they are competent. If they are not competent, you can file with the probate court of their county for guardianship.

It is sad and criminal when someone abuses the trust placed in them with the POA.