Banking and powers of attorney
When you grant a power of attorney (POA), the attorney can usually access your financial information to carry out the authorized tasks. Banks must confirm the POA is valid.
Revoking a POA also revokes the attorney's ability to access your information going forward.
Long-term care and retirement homes
Health privacy laws apply to long-term care homes. Family members typically need the resident's consent (or legal authority) to access health information.
In Ontario, the Long-Term Care Homes Act and PHIPA set standards for resident records.
Substitute decision-makers
If a senior cannot make decisions due to incapacity, a substitute decision-maker takes on privacy rights too. Most provinces have mental health and substitute decisions statutes that determine who can act and under what rules.
Protection against financial elder abuse
Banks are increasingly trained to recognize financial elder abuse. Recent OPC guidance clarifies that limited disclosure to authorities (e.g., Adult Protective Services) can be justified without consent when there is a risk of serious harm.