Suppose a manipulative, combative or just unpleasant family member insists on visiting a demented patient in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Can those visits be restricted? Prohibited altogether?

Can visitor restrictions be imposed by an agent under a health care power of attorney? Does it require a court proceeding?

These problems arise from time to time. The person seeking visitation in some cases might insist that they are a significant contact in the patient’s life, and the health care agent (or guardian) is simply acting out of malice and a desire to control the situation. Arizona law has recently changed to make restricting visitors more difficult. We discuss the current state of the law and how you might choose to address it for yourself — at some future time, of course.