Letter: Power of attorney concept is a good one

On April 2, under Sen. Joe Bolkcom's leadership, the Iowa Senate enacted a uniform power of attorney providing a description of powers and responsibilities for people, granting this power to make decisions on behalf of at-risk elders. A good thing. I'm hoping that this concept would apply for parents and guardians for adults with chronic mental illness - something urgently needed to get care when an outbreak of psychotic symptoms occur and treatment is mandatory.

Currently, there is no legal way for this to happen. Certainly, now when there is little mental health care in Iowa, it's a time bomb when a delusional person becomes psychotic.

Care facilities tell patients to call crisis lines for help; so very sad when these folks are told to call a crisis line for help with increasingly worsening symptoms. As much as trained volunteers or paid staff do with calm, focused listening and suggestions to try to help these callers over the hump, it isn't enough.

This needs to be fixed. It seems that a power of attorney for the person who's trying everything to help the ailing loved one needs this tool now.

Working with this population, I learned how frightening hallucinations and delusions are and denying their illness is part of that. Caregivers need a tool to allow proper

Bobbie Paxton

Iowa City