Have any questions about how to use the community? Check out the Help Discussion.

Joint POA and sudden weight loss

mrahope
mrahope Member Posts: 536
500 Comments Fourth Anniversary 250 Care Reactions 100 Likes
Member

I am wondering if anyone has had experience with using a joint POA. My DS and I are thinking that we might need a Plan B for MC placement should I become unable to care for DH , even for a short period. DS would like to visit facilities and even perhaps put DH on any waitlists for placement that he might encounter. Both of us are wondering if we need for him to be a joint POA to give him the power to do this. As background, DS is already the contingent POA if I am not able to perform the duties of that position. I've got a call in to the attorney, but I'm wondering if anyone here has used such a document, or whether it's even appropriate at this time. I'm lucky DS wants to help and I want to make it easier for him, if at all possible. It's difficult already for me to be out of the house for even short periods of time.

Also, my DH has lost 10 lbs in about the last month. His appetite is very minimal and he seems to only want to partake of fruits and sweets. He has known kidney issues and will be seeing a specialist next week for this issues. Have any of you seen quick weight loss like this as part of the picture in dementia? I've going to make an appointment with our PCP to discuss this. I was pretty surprised when DH told me this.

Comments

  • Ed1937
    Ed1937 Member Posts: 5,090
    Sixth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Likes 250 Care Reactions
    Member

    When we set up POAs, we had it set so my daughter or I could act independently. When medical personnel asked her how to handle things, she immediately referred them to me. So I actually called all the shots, although she could have done so herself. That worked well for us.

  • GothicGremlin
    GothicGremlin Member Posts: 865
    Fifth Anniversary 250 Likes 250 Care Reactions 500 Comments
    Member

    Hi there @mrahope I can't speak to the joint POA, but I am dealing with rapid weight loss with my sister. She's very late stage, mid-stage 7, and I know that weight loss is part of that stage. Is your DH at an earlier stage? If so, it might be something else.

    We've been supplementing her diet with Ensure, and bringing in some of her favorite foods from home to try to get some calories into her.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more