Q: Do I have rights as power of attorney for my mother when she is in the Psy ward at the hospital?
My mother lives in an assisted living facility in Florida. She was taken to the hospital yesterday. Today when I called today see her status; they said they had no record of her. She has dementia and paranoia schizophrenia and has not taken her meds for a couple days. She was sent to the hospital for not eating and not taking her meds. If she was moved to a Psy Ward at the hospital, do I have rights to her medical information, since I have Power of Attorney for financial and medical issues? I just want to know if she is there and safe. She is a very independent person and I'm afraid she may have walked out of the hospital.
A: Yes, if you have a valid POA "for financial and medical issues", the assisted living facility and the hospital should have given you the information. They probably didn't know about the POA, so next time show it to them when you ask about her.
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