Change of address for mother in Hospice

[c730127b]

My mother is 98 and has entered Hospice care in September.  She lives in a retirement community and at the end of September was transfered from her indendent apartment to the health center wing for good at the end of the month.  I had to notify the post office of her change of address and I thought that having her mail sent to my home would be the best solution.  I see her 2-3 times a week and can bring her letters from her church and friends and I would handle the bills.  

My mother does not handle phone conversations well. Her hearing is bad and she gets confused as to who she is talking to.  It is now 3 months later and I am still struggling.  The bank and insurance was no problem since I have a POA on file with them. 

The problem as been with the credit cards, investments, and SSA.  I understand the need for secruity but can't there be a uniform way everyone can follow to make it easier?  One company had me fax the POA only to destory it because they didn't tell me I needed to include my own address, SSN and date of birth as well as my brothers info because his name is also on the POA.

Another company has told me that because the POA is over 5 years old, I need to send them affidavits from myself and my brother.  I am waiting for a letter from my mother's doctor so I can spend the day at the SSA.  

I had no idea that a simple thing as changing an address could be so stressful. 

[GailL1]

@c730127b 

It sounds like to me from your post that even though you (and your brother) have POA, Durable, I hope, that your mom's financial institutions didn't have it on file for activation.  This could have been handled prior to the current situation.  IOW, all the checks and balances could have occurred before the current situation.

NOLO: Durable Financial Power of Attorney - How It Works 

Places that have our money have to abide by our wishes and legal documents especially in this day and age when there is so much identity theft - but those legal documents have to be checked for truthfulness, timeliness and accuracy.

Credit card bills or any other bills should be easy to change - just send in a change of address and to keep it simple for you the new address should read:  Her Name, c/o Your Name, POA, Your Address.

By changing your mom's address to your address, you are in essence making your address her place of legal residence.  So the good thing about this is once you get it all changed over - it is done.

For financial institutions, since they evidently didn't have the POA on file, you will have to go to each one or if not local, contact them, as you have done and complete the whatever paperwork they require.  Take the original signed and withnessed POA giving you power over her accounts guess a copy will do if you have to send it  - if your brother is also co-POA holder, then yes, you have to have a legal document from him that you are acting for the both of you.

For Social Security benefits management for your mother, you will need to be a Social Security Representative Payee - Social Security Administration.gov - Representative Payee 

You can follow this link on SS Representative Payee and it will describe what you have to do.

You will need authorization for managing her Health and Medicare benefits too unless she already has this set up. Medicare Authorization for Release of Health Info   The Social Security office maybe able to handle this too - ask them.

[fffred]

Can you change addresses “on line”?

A lot of bills have a change of address form right on the monthly statement return coupon.

Just do it and don’t tell them it’s not your mother doing it. 

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@c730127b wrote:

My mother is 98 and has entered Hospice care in September.  She lives in a retirement community and at the end of September was transfered from her indendent apartment to the health center wing for good at the end of the month.  I had to notify the post office of her change of address and I thought that having her mail sent to my home would be the best solution.  I see her 2-3 times a week and can bring her letters from her church and friends and I would handle the bills.  

My mother does not handle phone conversations well. Her hearing is bad and she gets confused as to who she is talking to.  It is now 3 months later and I am still struggling.  The bank and insurance was no problem since I have a POA on file with them. 

The problem as been with the credit cards, investments, and SSA.  I understand the need for secruity but can't there be a uniform way everyone can follow to make it easier?  One company had me fax the POA only to destory it because they didn't tell me I needed to include my own address, SSN and date of birth as well as my brothers info because his name is also on the POA.

Another company has told me that because the POA is over 5 years old, I need to send them affidavits from myself and my brother.  I am waiting for a letter from my mother's doctor so I can spend the day at the SSA.  

I had no idea that a simple thing as changing an address could be so stressful. 

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