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Is an assisted living facility allowed to prohibit a spouse from visiting their wife solely on the written instructions of a POA in the state of Georgia? This happened to me earlier in the week. How much time and money is required to fight something like this nonsense? I feel like it is malicious behavior on the part of the POA and unlawful behavior on the part of the facility.

Is there a reason that your wife's POA wants to keep you away from her that you've not shared with us, and have your visits in the past upset your wife, thus causing the assisted living facility to keep you away?
If there are no good reasons to keep you away from your wife then you can always go to court and file for guardianship over your her, which costs thousands of dollars but will give you the final and only say pertaining to the care of your wife.
Of course you'll have to have proof that your wife's current POA is not acting in the best interests of your wife.
I wish you well in getting this all sorted out.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Yes, an AL is within their rights to prohibit you from visiting your wife based solely on the written instructions of the POA.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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In Georgia, a Power of Attorney (POA) generally does not automatically give someone the authority to prohibit a spouse from visiting their husband or wife in an assisted living facility.

A few important principles apply...

If the resident has capacity, i.e. if the wife is still able to express her wishes and wants to see her husband -- the facility would generally be expected to honor her wishes, not simply the POA's instructions. A POA is an agent acting on behalf of the principal; it does not override the *competent* person's decisions.

If the resident lacks capacity the situation becomes more complicated. Even then, a financial POA typically does not give authority to control personal relationships or visitation.

A health care agent under an advance directive may have broader authority regarding care decisions, but that does not automatically mean they can permanently ban a spouse from visiting.

Assisted living facilities also have resident rights that generally include the right to receive visitors, subject to safety concerns and the resident's wishes.

When Visitation Restrictions May Be Allowed

A facility may have grounds to restrict or supervise visits if there is evidence of:

abuse,
exploitation,
threats,
harassment,
severe emotional distress to the resident,
court orders,
or other documented safety concerns.

A facility is usually on firmer legal ground when restrictions are based on:

the resident's expressed wishes,
medical or safety concerns,
or a court-appointed guardian's authority,
rather than solely because a POA submitted a written instruction.

A court-appointed guardian generally has much broader authority than a POA. If there is a guardian involved, the analysis changes significantly.

If a facility is refusing visitation based solely on a POA's letter, you would want to know if it Is a financial POA, health care POA, or a court-appointed guardianship?
Does your wife have dementia, and if so, is she still able to express a desire to see you?

Is there any allegation of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or a protective order?

Those details can make a major difference in whether the restriction is likely lawful. This is an area where consultation with a Georgia elder-law attorney may be worthwhile if the facility is preventing all contact between spouses.

(Information aggregated by ChatGPT5.3)
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Reply to Geaton777
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Thanks for the detailed answers. My wife is quite mentally disturbed from the dementia and alzheimers. At times she is also angry and has focused much of that anger on me. Therefore the issue with the POA seems to be a battle that has no good ending. But not fighting that battle means that I accept blame and burden of abandoning her that will most likely destroy me. My wife assures me she is peaceful and happy. Maybe that is the blessing that I must learn to accept.
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Reply to oldandtired1952
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Daughterof1930 Jun 21, 2026
I’m sorry for your pain in this. We’re certainly learning in our family right now that a POA can believe they’re making the best decisions while also not educating themselves on dementia and its behaviors. Accept no blame if you know you’ve done your best. Keep your focus on your wife letting you know she’s peaceful and happy. I wish you peace
(2)
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Well, it's not unlawful on the part of the facility. They are just doing their job, which is encouraging.
Who has POA? Is it Medical POA? Do you know what prompted this act?

Had you been visiting your wife regularly prior to this instruction from the POA to prohibit you?

Unfortunately, It will require a court action to fight this. Find an Elder Law attorney who will be well versed in this type of case. I'm so sorry you have been prevented from seeing your wife. There could be very good reason, and the POA is just looking out for her best interest.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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You need some help to change yourself in this very difficult situation. Your wife’s anger at you is the result of the dementia. Accepting that dementia is causing the anger is NOT accepting the “blame and burden of abandoning her”, and you should not let it “destroy you”. Try to focus on times when she has said she is “peaceful and happy”. Have courage and understanding. Remember that every GOOD relationship still has times when both people are angry, and memories of those times can come up later, quite out of context.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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It sounds like she is sometimes (often?) triggered by you and they are trying to keep her calm. She is likely forgetting you or scared by you, and probably not missing you. I’m sorry but it sounds like they are trying to do what seems to be best for her even though it is hurtful to you. Try not the feel offended and work on your relationship with the POA so you can stay fully informed from a distance.
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Reply to ShirleyDot
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