banks and red tape

made_in_england

i have both my parents a live at the moment my mum is 82 has cancer and close to calling it a day my dad is 89 very weak and like most of there generation mum done all the bill paying and run the household,but never really considered making a will or asking any of the family to have power of attourney,now we are in the position that she has 2 bank accounts and probaly totals no more than about £2000.00.now i always thought you could get a signed letter from the account holder to draw money,well thats no longer the case and the bank have said you have get power of attourney,well apart from it costing sevral hundred pounds to get, the 6 weeks it takes to happen i fear is to long for mum, has anybody got any suggestions.