CAMROSE, Alta. – Verlyn Olson told two stories at a recent farm women’s conference to emphasize why people need an enduring power of attorney.
The Camrose lawyer recalled one instance where a farm couple had joint custody of the farm. When the husband got Alzheimer’s disease, his wife wanted to sell and move into the city. She couldn’t.
The land titles office required both signatures to sell. Because her husband was no longer able to make decisions for himself she spent several thousand dollars and a couple of years in court trying to get an order to allow her to make the decision alone.
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In another case, an elderly couple lived in a house in town and after the husband got sick his wife wanted to move into an apartment.
She couldn’t.
Once again she didn’t have power of attorney and spent hours trying to get a court order that would allow her to sell the house and move into an apartment.
“It’s already a traumatic time for a spouse,” said Olson, during Fall Focus, a conference for rural women.
With a court order, the spouse is also subject to a yearly audit to make sure they are making wise decisions.
Olson said he doesn’t want to look like he’s generating work by recommending people have enduring power of attorney, but he knows how traumatic it can be.
Going to court can cost thousands of dollars compared to a one-time fee of about $150 to establish a power of attorney, he said.
In the last three years, almost 1,000 people have come through his law office to get one.
“There’s a high degree of interest because it’s a common sense thing. Usually someone knows of a family member or friend that has been through a court action,” he said.
