Overseeing a parent's care in Spain from another country

Terms used

• DNI — The DNI is the national identity card of Spanish citizens.
• Poder notarial — The poder notarial is a power of attorney signed before a notary, letting someone act for you in legal and financial matters.
• Curador — The curador is a support person a judge appoints to help an adult who needs help making decisions.
• Guardador de hecho — The guardador de hecho is a relative or friend who informally looks after someone's affairs without a court appointment.
• Servicios sociales de base — The servicios sociales de base are the town hall's local social services, where care information and applications start.
• PIA — The PIA is the individual care programme that assigns a service or benefit once dependency is recognised.
• Copago — The copago is the share of a care service's cost that the user pays.
• Teleasistencia — Teleasistencia is a telecare service with an alarm button that connects an older person to help.

Key rules

• No automatic authority: Being the child gives you no automatic right to act for your parent with banks, doctors or social services.
• Timing: Sign the power of attorney and advance directive while your parent still has capacity.
• Health information: Doctors share medical details with relatives only with written consent or when the patient cannot decide.
• Signed abroad: A power of attorney signed outside Spain needs an apostille or legalisation, and often a sworn translation.
• Regional rules: Care procedures, prices and waiting lists are set by each region, so use your parent's regional social services.

Start with legal authority, while your parent can still sign

You have no automatic right to act for your parent in Spain. Being their child does not let you deal with their bank, doctors or social services. Set up the paperwork while your parent can still make their own decisions.

The most useful tool is a notarial power of attorney (poder notarial). Choose one that keeps working if your parent later loses capacity. Ask a notary or a lawyer who knows the family to draft it and to say which instrument fits your case. The documents list below shows what to prepare.

Your parent can also name, in advance, who should support them if they need help later. A 2021 reform changed this area. Judges no longer fully strip adults of their legal capacity. If nothing was arranged, a judge can appoint a support person (curador) and only exceptionally a representative. A family member who helps informally (guardador de hecho) can act only in limited cases. Planning ahead is much easier than going to court.

Rules on advance directives vary by region. Catalonia, for example, has its own civil law. Ask the notary about your parent's region.

Health information

Clinics share medical information with relatives only with the patient's consent, or when the patient cannot decide. Ask your parent to sign a written authorisation for you to receive their health information. Their advance directive (instrucciones previas, or voluntades anticipadas in some regions) records their wishes and can name a representative to guide decisions.

Money and bank

Banks normally want a notarial power of attorney or authorised-holder status. Many also have their own form. Go to your parent's branch, find out which they require, and get yourself registered as an authorised person.

Local contacts to set up before a crisis

You need people on the ground. Aim to have these in place:

• GP and nurse. Your parent's médico de cabecera and nurse at the local health centre, with your parent's written consent for them to speak to you.
• Social worker. The trabajadora social at the town hall's social services or the health centre. She can start a dependency application.
• Neighbour or friend. Someone nearby who holds a key and has your phone number.
• Paid help. If you can afford it, a geriatric care manager or a private home-care or telecare firm.
• Notary or lawyer. One who knows the family.
• Emergency contact. A local person to call, plus 112. Ask the town hall or region about a telecare button (teleasistencia).
• Gestor or accountant. For taxes and bills. Also note the nearest pharmacy.

Keep one shared file with the medical history, medication list, NIE or DNI, health card number, insurance policies and wills.

Applying for long-term care support

Long-term care support (dependencia) follows national law, but each region sets its own procedure, prices and waiting lists. Start with the social services centre at your parent's town hall (servicios sociales de base). It gives information and starts the application.

The usual steps are:

1. The regional dependency body assesses your parent and recognises a grade of dependency (valoración de dependencia).
2. An individual care programme (PIA) then assigns a service or benefit.
3. Your parent may pay part of the cost (copago), set by regional rules.

You can file as a legal representative, or as a family member or informal guardian with your parent's authorisation, through social services. Find the procedure, the service catalogue, public-place prices and copago rules on your parent's regional social-services website. Many regions also have a phone line and an online account to follow the file. To check a care home, look in the regional register of authorised social-service centres.

If you sign documents abroad

A power of attorney signed outside Spain needs an apostille or legalisation, and often a sworn translation. Signing it in front of a Spanish notary or at a Spanish consulate can be simpler. Ask the notary which route the bank will accept.

Documents you need

• A notarial power of attorney (poder notarial) signed by your parent while they have capacity. One that continues if they lose capacity is the most useful.

• If the power of attorney is signed outside Spain, it needs an apostille or legalisation.

• If the power of attorney is signed outside Spain, you often also need a sworn translation.

• Your parent's written authorisation for you to receive their health information, plus their advance directive (instrucciones previas).

• The bank's own form naming you as an authorised person, if the bank asks for it instead of or beside the power of attorney.

• A shared file with your parent's medical history, medication list, NIE or DNI, health card number, insurance policies and wills.

Checklist

• Ask your parent's GP and nurse at the local health centre to speak to you, with your parent's written consent.

• Meet the social worker (trabajadora social) at the town hall's social services or the health centre, who can start a dependency application.

• Give a trusted neighbour or friend a key and your phone number.

• Ask a notary or lawyer to prepare a power of attorney and advance directive while your parent has capacity.

• Save the local emergency contact and 112, and ask the town hall or region about a telecare (teleasistencia) button.

• Find a gestor or accountant for taxes and bills, and note the nearest pharmacy.

• Look up your parent's regional social-services website for the application procedure, public-place prices and co-payment rules.

Frequently asked questions

Does a power of attorney signed abroad work in Spain?

Yes, a power of attorney signed abroad can be used in Spain, but it usually needs an apostille or legalisation and often a sworn translation. Ask a Spanish notary or lawyer to confirm what the bank or office needs before you sign.

Can I see my parent's medical information without legal authority?

No, clinics give health information to relatives only with the patient's consent, or if the patient cannot decide. Ask your parent to sign a written authorisation naming you, and to record their advance directive (instrucciones previas) too.

Where do I find the care rules and prices for my parent's region?

Start with the website of your parent's regional social-services department, which sets the procedure, public-place prices and co-payment (copago) rules.

Can I apply for dependency benefits for my parent from abroad?

Yes, you can apply if your parent authorises you, because the application goes through social services and can be filed by the person, a legal representative or a family member with their authorisation. Ask the town hall's social worker how to submit it.