As people age, they are forced to rely on friends and family to take care of their affairs, and a smart way to do this is to make sure someone you trust is legally appointed to act on your behalf.  This is particularly true when someone moves into a nursing home.  A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document, which under South Carolina law may grant general and specific legal authority to take actions on your behalf; a durable power of attorney endures even in the event you are no longer competent to take care of your affairs (such as with Alzheimer’s).  Many a parent will grant a son or daughter the POA to sign checks, sign contracts, make purchases, make gifts to others, and/or any combination of activities that are legally binding.  Many times a lawyer’s power of attorney is a standard form document; unfortunately, most POA’s also set a standard trap for the unwary.

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Okay, I considered a sexier title for this post, maybe some reference to South Beach, which was not far from the hotel where I stayed when I attended a nursing home litigation seminar.  But, first, such a title would be lousy for SEO, and more to the point, I didn’t want to denigrate the suffering and misery that underlies all nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuits.  And sure, the title is a bit of self promotion, but I think it is important and helpful for folks to know that I am a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Nursing Home Litigation Group.  In the end, South Beach was not much more sexy than Myrtle Beach (S.C.), but the information I brought back to South Carolina made this a trip worth taking.

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