Re-directing mail with no POA

[Tracy Grenyer]

Hi all I am new to this site and forum.... my dilemma is that my mother-in-law went into hospital last June after a succession of falls we did not have a POA at this stage we had the discussion but she was mentally fine so we decided not to go ahead with one.

However, a few weeks on and after several UTIs she developed delirium which I had never heard and had to look up. She is now a permanent resident in a care home since December 2023 and she has also had delirium for over 6 months. The diagnosis from the doctors who attend the care home is now dementia.

We have given notice to the housing association who have requested confirmation of her conditions from the doctor.

Now we need to redirect her mail but we have no POA. What do we do?

Any help or advice is gratefully received....

 

[nitram]

I think online redirection relies on a bank card for ID.

https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection

 

[Kevinl]

I don't think you need a PoA for a mail redirect, our children did a mail redirect without one when I as a carer for my wife I had to go into hospital so she went into a care home.
As nitram says redirect online. K

 

[kmac01]

I just redirected my brother’s mail last Friday. I live almost 1000 miles away. I had to go in person to USPS with my signed POA form and my brother’s old address on his utilities bill. I also took his nursing home receipt which came to my address with his name as patient on it. And of course, they needed my driver’s license. If you have all your papers, you’ll complete change of address and it should be easy. I might have needed more because i bought a 6-month PO box for his mail. My lawyer said that was a good idea. As his mail comes in, I’ll cancel everything within 6 months. But definitely get a durable POA, get her sig or proof from doctor that she is unable to sign. Durable POAs are available online, however my brother’s nursing home sent me one to complete. I registered it with the Chancery Clerk in his state but I didn’t need proof of that with USPS. That was for his bank accounts and real estate.

 

[SeaSwallow]

Hello @kmac01 and welcome to the Dementia Support Forum.
The DSF is a U.K. based website and I am assuming due to some of the terms that you have used in your reply that you are based in the US, so the rules there regarding redirecting mail are probably different.
I do hope that you will find the forum useful, we have members from many countries including the US. The effects of dementia on our loved ones knows no borders.