How does a notary determine awareness?
Short answer
Through brief conversation. The signer should be able to say, in their own words, what the document is and what they intend to do.
Full explanation
Awareness is situational, not clinical. A person with a diagnosis may be perfectly aware at the moment of signing; a person with no diagnosis may be medicated and disoriented. The notary evaluates the moment, records the observation in the journal, and declines if in doubt.
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Notary Answers™ by QuitaDell Enterprises — educational information about notarial procedure, not legal advice.
https://www.quitadell.com/notary-answers/elderly-signers/how-does-a-notary-determine-awareness