SNIP! ......if the form is not statutory, it does not have to be legally recognized. SNIP! It is imperative to have this document prepared by an experienced practitioner.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: What follows is my personal opinion. I am NOT an attorney. If you are unsure of any legal matters, whatsoever, consult with a licensed attorney.
Bah! Typical legalese double talk from someone who either is/was a lawyer, has a relative who's a lawyer, or got burned in a legal proceeding.
Yeah, the form must be statutory. Ooh, sounds scary, right? Statutory, as it pertains to law, means: Those
requirements which are applicable by virtue of law enacted by the government. So, in a nutshell, you need to know what your ruling body requires for a poa. That's not hard to find out, if you're sharp enough to do your own research. I totally understand that many will not trust themselves, here. From them, the lawyers will extract their pound of flesh.
Lawyers scare folks into thinking that they absolutely need them for any number of things. Again, if you can do your own research, and do it well, you'll be fine drawing up your own legal documents, especially if you use the internet for a bit of guidance, but don't trust it, blindly.
I fully admit, here, that my take on the above is skewed, as I've been writing legal documents since I was eleven. I've been told by attorneys that I could teach contract law. I've successfully sued parties who violated contracts I wrote, and I've sold properties using my own filings that stood up in legal proceedings. I also handled my own divorce, which involved property.
In the case of someone who is, demonstrably, NOT mens sana in corpore sano, AND has had medical rulings to that effect, there is legal precedent wherein a spouse who IS shown to possess a clear mind and the ability to accurately interpret reality, has been given the legal right to settle affairs on behalf of the ailing spouse. This does get tricky if there are opposing parties who may have a financial interest in acting against the spouse who is trying to gain control of a given estate.
It's of utmost importance, then, that the ailing spouse be thoroughly evaluated by medical professionals, and, here, the more the merrier! Such medical determinations must hold up, in court, if challenged, so be sure that whomever you use for the evaluation of your wife, knows that he/she may be called on to testify in legal proceedings on their evaluation.
The more narrowly prescribed your power of attorney is, in a specific matter, the greater your chances of success, and the less chance you'll be challenged.
In your case, you feel that you need this power to sell the house your ailing wife may not want to part with. As long as your wife can make a coherent, cogent plea that shows why she doesn't want to move, I strongly doubt you'll prevail. If there are other parties who champion your wife's take on this matter, your chances get even worse.
So, yeah, you can go and spend some fairly big bucks on an attorney, for the above, but, if your wife still has enough wherewithal to state her case, I think you'll be wasting said bucks.
BTW, why must you sell your house? That can be a tricky thing to substantiate, legally, as well. You'll need all the evidence you can come up with, to even begin to get the court to take your point of view.
Good luck!
Wishing the best for the two of you.
