Are You Prepared In Case Something Happens?

Normally I do not write about personal experiences, but recently something happened in my family that I felt compelled to share with everyone. 

Recently my mother who is of the age of 91 had a stroke.  She was prepared mainly with an Advanced Healthcare Directive, which is commonly known as a “Living Will.”  The problem is that my mother did not have a Durable General Power of Attorney, or commonly known as a POA.

Now, I find myself having to petition the court for a conservatorship over my mother so that her bills and other matters can be handled, because she has been deemed incompetent. 

The biggest misconseption of a Power of Attorney is that people are afraid to get one because they may be under the impression that their kids will spend all of their money and they will be put into a nursing home. 

The reality is, the Power of Attorney does not go into effect until two doctors deem you incompetent to handle your personal and business affairs.  So I ask you, are you prepared in case something happens?