WALTHAM · NURSING AND REHABILITATION
Notary at Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Need a document signed by a loved one at Maristhill in Waltham? We come to the resident’s room, often the same day and with witnesses when needed, for rehab patients and long-term residents.
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66 NEWTON ST, WALTHAM
Bedside notary visits
Same-day and 24-hour appointments
- Powers of attorney and health care proxies
- Wills and estate documents
- Witnesses arranged if needed
- Signature by mark when needed
About Maristhill
| Address | 66 Newton Street, Waltham, MA 02453, near the Newton line |
| Care | Short-term rehab, long-term care, memory care, respite, and hospice and palliative care |
| Visiting | Family and friends are welcome at any convenient time; supervised children welcome |
| Operator | Covenant Health |
From the facility’s website and public records, November 2026. We’re an independent notary service, not affiliated with Maristhill. Call the front desk to confirm visiting details before the visit.
Documents we notarize for residents
- Durable powers of attorney, so a trusted person can handle bills, banking and property
- Health care proxies (witnessed; we notarize too when families want it)
- Wills, trusts and self-proving affidavits, when prepared by the family’s attorney
- MassHealth and benefits paperwork that needs a notarized signature
- Real estate documents, such as a deed or sale paperwork
- Affidavits and other sworn statements
Which documents need a notary?
| Document | Signing requirements in Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Durable power of attorney | Usually notarized, and it must be acknowledged before a notary to be used for real estate. Banks often insist on notarization too. |
| Health care proxy | Signed in front of two adult witnesses; the agent can’t be a witness. A notary isn’t required, but some families add one. |
| Will | Signed with at least two witnesses. A self-proving affidavit, signed before a notary, makes probate easier. |
| MOLST form | A medical order completed with the resident’s clinician. It doesn’t need a notary. |
| MassHealth and benefits forms | Some require a notarized signature; check the form’s instructions. |
We’re notaries, not lawyers. Ask the attorney who prepared the document if you’re unsure what it needs.
How a visit works
- 1
Call or request a visit
Tell us the resident’s name, room if you know it, and what’s being signed. We confirm what’s needed, including witnesses.
- 2
Get the document ready
Complete and unsigned, with no blank spaces, plus the resident’s current photo ID.
- 3
We come to the room
We check in at the Maristhill front desk and meet you and the resident.
- 4
Notarized on the spot
The notary confirms identity and willingness, watches the signing and completes the notarization.
When the resident can’t sign normally
After a stroke, with paralysis, a serious injury or memory loss, many residents can’t write their full name. Under the Massachusetts notary law, M.G.L. c. 222, § 15(f), a notary may certify a signature by mark, such as an X, when the resident makes the mark in front of the notary and two witnesses who are unaffected by the document, and both witnesses sign their own names beside the mark.
If the resident can’t make any mark, § 15(g) lets the notary sign the resident’s name at their direction, in front of the resident and two unaffected witnesses, and write beneath it that the signature was affixed by the notary in their presence.
Identification follows § 1 (a current government-issued photo ID with a signature, a credible witness, or the notary’s personal knowledge), and § 16 requires the notary to refuse if there’s compelling doubt the signer understands the document or is signing willingly. It also bars refusing someone solely because of a disability or age.
Read our full guide to signature by mark, and download the signature-by-mark instructions and notarial certificate (PDF).
Visiting Maristhill
Maristhill welcomes visitors at any convenient time, so we can schedule when the resident is rested and alert. Visitors who feel unwell are asked to mask, with supplies at the front desk.
Maristhill offers hospice and palliative care as well as memory care. In those settings, timing matters: a notary must be confident the signer understands the document, so it’s best not to wait.
Good to know
- Check in at the front desk
- Bring the resident’s current government-issued photo ID
- Tell us if witnesses are needed; we can bring them
Frequently asked questions
Can you come to Maristhill on a weekend?
Yes. Maristhill welcomes visitors at any convenient time, and we schedule weekends by appointment.
Does Maristhill provide notary services?
Maristhill’s website doesn’t mention notary services for residents, and staff usually can’t notarize personal legal documents. A mobile notary comes to the resident’s room at a time that works around care and therapy.
What ID does the resident need?
A current government-issued photo ID with a signature, such as a driver’s license, state ID or passport. A facility wristband or chart isn’t acceptable ID in Massachusetts. If the ID is at home, have a family member bring it.
What if the resident can’t sign their name?
Massachusetts allows a signature by mark with two unaffected witnesses, or, if the person can’t make any mark, the notary can sign at their direction. We can bring witnesses.
Can the notary decide whether my parent is competent to sign?
No. A notary confirms identity and that the signer understands and is signing willingly, but doesn’t make medical or legal judgments. If there’s compelling doubt, the notary can’t proceed. Talk with the care team and the attorney first if capacity is in question.
How quickly can you come?
Often the same day, and we’re available 24 hours a day by appointment. We coordinate the time with you and, if needed, the nursing staff.
Need a notary at Maristhill?
Tell us who is signing and what. We’ll confirm everything before we arrive.