The phone call usually comes on a weekday afternoon: Dad fell, Mom's memory is slipping, and the hospital social worker just asked, "Does anyone have power of attorney?" Nobody does. Now the paperwork that felt like something for later is something for this week — and the person who has to sign it is the person who is struggling most.
I notarize these more often than almost anything else, and I do it at kitchen tables, hospital bedsides, and care-facility dining rooms across the Treasure Valley. Here's how it works when the signer is your aging parent.
Who Actually Has to Sign a Power of Attorney?
Your parent does. A power of attorney is your parent (the “principal”) giving someone they trust (the “agent,” maybe you) permission to act for them. The notary's job is to watch the principal sign, so it can't be done on their behalf, and it can't be done without them in the room. I'll need to see a valid photo ID and speak with your parent directly. If you're the agent, you're welcome to be there for the appointment, but I'm verifying your parent, not you.
Can a Parent With Memory Problems Still Sign?
This is the question I get most, and it's the hardest one. Before I notarize anything, I have to be satisfied that the signer knows who they are, knows they're signing, and is doing it willingly — not because someone is steering their hand. A good day and a bad day can look very different. If I can't tell that's the case, I'm not able to notarize, and I would rather tell you that kindly at the table than have the document questioned later. Whether your parent has the mental capacity to sign a given document is a legal and medical question, and it's not one I can answer for you.
What I can and can't do: I can notarize your parent's signature, but I can't advise you on which type of power of attorney to use, what powers it should include, or what it means for your family's situation. I also can't prepare the document or tell you whether it's valid for a specific purpose. That's an attorney's job, and if your parent's capacity is in question, an elder-law attorney is the right person to call before the signing.
Your Appointment Checklist
- The finished, unsigned power of attorney — please don't sign ahead of time.
- A current, government-issued photo ID for your parent, with the name matching the document.
- The agent's full name spelled the way it appears in the document.
- Any witnesses the document calls for (read the signature page; some require them, and I can't be one of them).
- A quiet spot, good lighting, and reading glasses within reach.
- Enough time that no one feels rushed.
If your parent's ID is expired, or they no longer drive and don't have one, call me before the appointment so we can talk through what's acceptable instead of finding out at the door. There's more on getting everything ready in my post on preparing your documents before a signing.
How Does a Mobile Notary Handle a Care-Facility Signing?
I come to your parent. That might be a living room, a hospital room, an assisted living community, or a memory-care wing, and I'm used to checking in with the front desk and working around meals and medication schedules. I'm available Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday afternoons, so the appointment can fit around the family's work schedule, not the other way around. I move at your parent's pace, explain things plainly, and keep the visit as short and calm as I can.
What Happens After the Signing?
I'll complete the notary certificate, stamp the document, and record the appointment in my journal. The original goes home with you. Keep it somewhere safe and let the person handling your parent's affairs know where it is. If you'd like to see the kinds of documents I handle, take a look at my notary services, and for a refresher on what the difference between a notary and an attorney is, I wrote it out in Notary vs. Lawyer.
When you're ready, you can book a time online, or call me directly. And if you'd like to hear how other families describe the experience, read what clients have said.