1. Learn what kinds of decisions you might have to make
Question & Answer
What does an attorney for personal care do?A gives you the power to make personal care decisions when the person becomes mentally incapable. This includes:
- decisions about the person's personal care, such as where they live, what they eat, what they wear, washing and having a bath, and staying safe
- decisions about the person's health care that deal with:
- health-care treatments
- moving into a long-term care home
- getting personal care services in long-term care homes
You can only make decisions that the person is not capable of making.
They may be capable of making some decisions about their personal care but not others. For example, they might be able to look after their bathing and dressing, but not capable of making decisions about where they live.
If there’s more than one attorney
A person can name more than one attorney.
If the Power of Attorney says that two or more attorneys must agree on a decision, this is called acting jointly. This means that you cannot make decisions or act on your own.
If the Power of Attorney says the attorneys can make decisions together or on their own, this is called acting jointly and separately, or jointly and severally. This means that you or the other attorney can act on your own if necessary.
When your role ends
Here are some examples of when your role as attorney ends:
- you resign or die
- the person dies
- the person cancels or revokes the Power of Attorney
- the person signs a new Power of Attorney and names a different attorney for personal care
- a court appoints a