POA at long distance when you're an only child

[Blackberry2020]

I think I've seen posts on here before about people having POA for an elderly parent when they live and work hundreds of miles away or even abroad. If you are an only child and your parent is widowed, how do you manage it, and what can you and can't you get done that way? Are there limitations on what you can give permission for on the phone or by email?

Hi,I am also interested in this so just watching. No wise words, sorry.

I have both types of POA for my 90year old parent who lives 3 hours from me,still "with it" but housebound.All utilities are paid by monthly direct debit,I have registered POA with BT,gas and electric so I can discuss accounts,useful when there was a recent problem with the landline.
She holds the cheque book and is still capable of writing cheques,I use Internet Banking to pay cleaner,window cleaner and any tradesman,Invoices are emailed to me.
I have a separate credit card used solely for her expenditure,on line food shop which I arrange,M&S ready meals,clothes,household items,topup PAYG phone.Then pay monthly bill from her bank account.
When I visit I take cash so she can pay weekly hairdresser,any local lunch outings,church etc
Draw cash from my bank account obtaining receipt and repaying myself using IB.
Quite a smooth process,she receives copies of monthly bank and credit card statements with all receipts.
Not aware of any limitations,regardless of distance I think POA is important.

I have POA for my mums finances and live 300miles away
I basically do most things with online banking, have had a few issues setting up direct debits but that's partially because she has a slightly odd bank account.
Got round one issue by paying for it with my credit card monthly and setting up a standing order to pay me directly.
I keep a spreadsheet of all the spending I do for her so it's transparent (I'm one of 4 children who don't always get on so don't want to be accused of anything)

Mum has dementia and can't really handle money but still has limited access to her bank card to which means that carers can take her out and she can pay for lunch/ tea with chip & signature

I can see her accounts online so I know what is being spent. I have arrangements with local taxi company to pay them direct, same goes for mums art group and day centre lunches - everything else either sends me paper bills or online bills.
I only use tradespeople on her house that I can pay online and her shopping is either online delivery or via the allowance I leave for the carers who use the shop down the road (bread & milk)
It can be a faff sometimes but I've been doing it 2 years now and it generally works.

daisy and wonkylegs - your posts illustrate just how much work goes into "caring" aside from actually visiting.

I have POA and it was much like wonkylegs. My DM has been in a care home for 4 years now so it’s just a question of paying bank transfers for care and Sometimes buying clothes which I do from my own account and then transfer the money from hers.

You can register for telephone banking with banks and building societies. You will have to visit to present id and PoA documents, but this doesn't need to be the branch nearest to where your elderly parent is, if can be the branch nearest to you. You should be able to get a debit card.

Document everything you do and keep receipts.