I have of friend of 40 years who has been like a mother to me and a true friend. She has no children of her own and her memory has failed somewhat. She feels she has made a mistake with the person (who was a real-estate agent that she has known for about twenty years) and has made her the POA. My friend said she never comes to see her and shows her no records of where her money is going. When I contacted the person she got very upset with me and threaten that she would get a lawyer which makes me a little suspicious. Is there any way that I can get a copy of the POA document to make sure she is being honest with taking care of my best friend.
I went to visit her in the assistant living that she has placed my friendin. I was there for 5 days and there were no night lights in the rooms to keep her safe at night from tripping. It looked like the furniture was just dumped in her room with no thought of where cables came in for TV. I hooked up an antenna system so she can get old free TV stations to watch to keep her mind sharp.
Her eyes are getting bad which stops her from reading and rooms are dark if there is no sun out which makes it even harder for her to see.
PLEASE HELP.
The fact that the current POA got upset when you called her, makes me wonder if your friend is telling this situation to everyone she sees and those people are harassing the POA. Just a thought. Maybe the POA is doing everything regarding being a POA.
I was POA for my parents, I visited them once a week at their house [they were in their 90's] to delivery groceries. My parents always said that they "could manage" so I had no hands-on care.... my job was to be their wheels.
Otherwise, take FF's suggestion and consult an attorney to have the POA rescinded and a new one issued, assuming that's what your friend wants.
Given her vision status, I think some of the issues you raise as to the condition in your friend's room could be hazards.
If your friend is unhappy with the POA she has, she can very easily change it, as long as she can understand the concept of allowing someone else to handle her finances (as freqflyer says).
It is not likely that you can get a copy of the POA document unless your friend knows where her copy is and shows it to you. In any case, just seeing what the POA is supposed to do wouldn't give you evidence about whether the current POA is really doing it!
As for the dark room, ask the front desk at the Assisted Living for the handyman to install brighter bulbs in the ceiling lights. Or you could purchase some higher wattage bulbs for her lamps, if the lamps allow a higher wattage, most newer lights have a sticker saying how high a wattage can be used.
If your friend is still of clear mind, have her set up an appointment with an Elder Law Attorney and you drive her there. Your friend can choose anyone she wants to be her Power of Attorney as long as she can still understand the legal document. She can choose you or even choose a CPA to handle her money.