How does 'power of attorney' affect long-term care?

How does 'power of attorney' affect long-term care?

Karl Steinberg (Associate Medical Director, Sharp Mission Park Medical Group) gives expert video advice on: How does 'power of attorney' affect long-term care?; What is an advance directive?; Why are advance directives important? and more...

There are different kinds of 'powers of attorney', but there's a general 'power of attorney' that might have to do more with financial issues and being able to sign in place of your parent, and then there is a healthcare 'power of attorney'. When it comes to long-term care, both of them may be useful in some situations and 'power of attorney' can, some of them you can act in the stead of your parent even if they're still completely with it. There are others that have a springing clause where you only take over if they're incapacitated. It's important to look into those things, but as far as decision making and so on, if your parent is incapacitated and not able to make informed decisions on their own behalf, then you can essentially sign them into a skilled nursing facility or things of that nature, assuming that they are not physically able to escape.