In the case of elderly relatives, it is sometimes advisable to make sure that the person has given over their power of attorney. Many older ... more>>individuals begin to have dementia or Alzheimers disease once they have reached a certain age. When mental decay has set in, a person can no longer legally make decisions. This includes decisions that have to do with inheritance and management of potentially valuable real estate. The safest thing to do is to get a durable power of attorney transferred from your relative to yourself. This will give you the power to control the upkeep of the land. It also allows you to transfer the deed to an inheritor or to a purchaser. This can be especially useful if the elderly relative has run out of funds necessary for sustained care. A sale of the house can provide the money necessary to pay for medical care, nursing home fees, or other things to improve the quality of life of your loved one.