Article: Seek power of attorney for elderly parent

Q: My mother is 85 and was fine up until a year ago. She has declined in health quickly and now has dementia. I was told by a health care worker that I need a power of attorney to manage her affairs. I went to a lawyer, who said he could not prepare a power of attorney because my mother is not mentally competent and we need to have a guardianship established in court. He wanted a $5,000 retainer. The lawyer is not a doctor. How does he know whether my mother is competent? Is this just a scam so the lawyer can get money? I was told that a power of attorney only costs about $200 or $300. A: As in all walks of life, there are honest and dishonest people, and I do not know whether your lawyer ...

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