Seniors- Know your rights

Constitutional right under DPOA and guardian

A DPOA or Durable Power of Attorney often just called Power of Attorney is only effective for health care when an individual cannot speak his/her preference. It does give you permission to review treatment of the ondividual for which ytou are the DPOA, but does not provdie for any cecumstance where you can override their wishes. No DPOA gives one person the right to take COnstitutional Rights away from another- It is criminal to deny a person his/her right to associated with whom they please, the right for them to have communications by phone, mail or e-mail wiht whom they please, the rigfht to deny or approve medications or cerian medical treatment, the right to marry or procreate. Harassing, scolding or intimidating in any way to make them conform to some standard not their own isconsidered criminal abuse if the person is over the age of 65 and needs assistance with even minor phyicical needs (such as someone cooks for them.)

Only the court can take individual rights away and often that is done illegally. That goes under the topic of Abuse under guardianship