What if the signer is not conscious or incompetent?

All signers need to be competent to sign and be fully alert and be able to prove to the notary that they understand the contents being signed. Nodding or shaking one’s head or saying “yes” or “no” is not sufficient. If the signer cannot speak, then he or she will need to be able to write out complete sentences to questions such as: “Please explain what a Power of Attorney is or does?” We cannot notarize someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia or someone on medication that makes the signer extremely drowsy. You may need to go to court to be able to take over the signing responsibilities. They also have to have the strength to sign something that resembles a signature and is not just a mark on the page (unless a mark is the type of signature on signer’s photo ID).