My first post here was on the 20th.  I mentioned an appointment to get a
Power of Attorney to access my mother's CD's in case she needs to go to
an Assisted Living facility or Nursing home later. She told the attorney
she didn't know why she was there and that I was a neighbor, a friend.
Of course I didn't get the POA. The lawyer even appeared suspicious of
me, like I was trying to get my hands on her money for my personal use
until I showed him a document she had notorized in 1991 making me her
health surrogate and stating she didn't want her life prolonged if two
doctors declared her terminally ill. My next step is to apply for a
Guardianship which can take up to a year where I live and a lot of
expensive paper work involved.  
I have half a mind to just take her over to the banks and cash the CD's
in and put the money in her checking account. I'm co-owner of the CD's
and also on her checking account. She stopped paying her bills a year
ago and gave the job to me when she forgot to pay her phone bill and
couldn't add or subtract correctly. I have since put the bills on
automatic debit so that her health insurance, electric and phone bills
are paid that way.
Carolyn