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Have you experienced a POA draining a clients estate? POA billing is $!,000./month when client is mentally sharp, although on Hospice. Hospice personnel are in daily contact, and providing ongoing services. Client/patient has auto pay for ALL routine monthly bills, and writes personal checks or uses debit card for all other expenditures. How can POA justify such a charge?

It's becoming clear why so many of our elders end up on Medicaid: attorneys are looking like opportunists who use vulnerable elders for their personally-enhanced lifestyle .

Although one need not be an attorney to be a POA, this circumstance had family members (lawyers!!) pushing Granny to have a non-family POA when she had never wanted or needed one before. They threatened her with Guardianship (by themselves) unless she complied. She had been in a condition of over-medication when this legal action was taken. With a lifelong history of adverse reactions to meds, she was temporarily mentally incapacitated. Rescued from the doctor and facility complicit in the over-medication, she recovered - but was now involved in a court-case seekiing total guardianship. She was crushed - and angry!! Granny was 98 - going on 99!!

$70,000. later, she is of course, not like a 29 year old, but very hurt - and agitated - that her hard-earned life savings has been, and is, being eaten up by lawyers and legal gaming. After providing for her own "final expenses", she had designs of donating to a blind foundation (because she has AMD), the Salvation Army, and a scholarship in her deceased son's name. She is now increasingly concerned about covering her own medical/nursing-care/burial expenses (which includes burial 3,000 miles away - in her pre-purchased family plot)?!

It's a double-whammy, being hit financially, and deliberately hurt by family. Now the POA continues to suck her funds away, having been put in place to appease the family lawyers seeking guardianship.

Meanwhile, I am the 24/7 Caregiver. For the past 20 years, even while working, I have been her physical Caregiver (after a serious auto accident) as well as assisting her in a multitude of other ways. I am her only surviving offspring - and NONE of these others who "care" so much have offered a hand - or a dime.

It hurts me - that they would hurt her so. And these are MY children.

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I can understand their concern, if not for the over medication, then for the money spent on "legal gaming". The court appoints a temporary Guardian, I believe that is the person getting the $1K/month, selected by the Judge. This is only a temporary court guardianship. Her intention to give money away when she is going broke requires intervention, and sadly, that intervention goes through the courts. My next question is, if she has been in a facility and over medicated, how is it you were a 24/7 caregiver? How did she manage to spend money on "legal gaming" from her bedside? Bear in mind the court will fully audit her expenditures. I hope you saved all the receipts, this will be a detailed inquiry and things could get ugly.
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Now that she has regained her capacity, petition the court to have the current POA removed. Then your granny can appoint someone with whom she has the most trust.
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I have been doing this for almost 30 years, and never cared about or wanted compensation. I wish there was someone he could trust to take over the shopping, running errands, paying bills, hiring help, and all that comes with being a friend. Out of curiosity I will read the full document. Thanks for the information.
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Emabebhall it should stipulate in the POA if compensation can be taking for your services...
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I serve as POA for a disabled friend who had no one else.. It is a difficult job, and has become more difficult as he gets older. I assist because he is a friend. I did not know POA's get paid. I hired a home attendant who is trying to take advantage of my friend. He has involved The Legal Aid Senior Service, who will not speak with me. but is sending information to my friends home. which ended up in the hands of the attendant; In this case the Legal Aid Attorney is on the wrong side of the issue, but maybe in your situation they will work to benefit your love one.
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I'm sorry your children are causing this distress for your mother and also for you. I don't have answers on what's fair pay. I hope she is able to "escape" the guardianship, but dealing with family attorneys in power makes it harder to fight, I'm thinking. Is the POA one of the ones seeking guardianship? It sounds like your mother is being coerced in either direction (pay POA or get guardianship). Adult Protective Services (APS) might be able to help with advice.

Please let us know what happens along the way. I will keep you and your mother in my prayers.
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