Family Arguments About POA
Many families have disagreements about caregiving and paperwork. If you’re the main caregiver, this can be especially frustrating. If your family has a disagreement over who should be named as an agent on a
power of attorney document, try to keep these things in mind:
Your care recipient is the decision maker on who their power of attorney is – not you as a caregiver nor the rest of the family. This is an opportunity for your care recipient to take control in their life
It’s not a decision about picking favorites. Your care recipient is simply choosing a person to uphold their wishes if they are unable to communicate.
Everyone involved in the conversation should understand the role of a POA agent. Review the responsibilities and limitations of power of attorney.
Another person separate from the disagreement may step in as a power of attorney. For example, an adult grandchild or a close friend. Sometimes this option can help the person choosing their power of attorney agent feel better about the decision.
If you can’t resolve the disagreement, you can also look for an opportunity to do elder mediation. Mediation is a process where you can make sure your thoughts and concerns are heard to help resolve the disagreement.
