Situation: 87 yr old Nursing home patient has used prescription medication for years to relieve pain and to calm nerves. Family members have

It is hard to answer your question without knowing more about your situation. If you have specific issues with this doctor (or the person named in the Power of Attorney) that you do not list here, you should contact an elder law attorney to discuss those issues. The person named in the Power of Attorney should become very involved in this patient's care. That person's job is to speak for the patient when she cannot speak for herself, by making health-related decisions that are in her best interest. The POA should stay in contact with the doctor, to understand his or her plan for the patient's care. Understand that the doctor has been trained in this area, and it may truly be in the patient's best interest to continue on the medication. The POA should go with the patient to doctor visits and discuss her care with the doctor, including asking questions. He or she should explain the concerns associated with this medication. It helps if you are able to give the doctor specific examples of how the medication has affected the patient. Also ask if there can be other causes for the patient's disorientation. If, after doing these things, you are still not satisfied with the level of care, you can choose another doctor. Finally, while you are working with the doctor, you should make the nursing home staff aware of the medication's affect on the patient -- the disorientation and falling. The staff can take the appropriate steps to avoid injury to the patient. Tonya R. Coles Elder Law -- Estate Planning -- Probate www.tonyacoles.com