In the process of conservatorships, a court does appoint a person for managing a debilitated person’s personal and financial affairs. It is the duty of the conservator to oversee finances, monitor the conservatee or the ward’s physical care, and manage living arrangements. However, this concept is different from guardianship and both are habitually interchangeable. When the matter relates to law, then there are some differences. Guardianship is considered the appointment of an entity or a person to oversee the medical and physical care of a person who has got confined capacity. On the other hand, a conservator does manage the financial affairs of a minor, older adult, or an incapacitated person who has got a limited capability.
What is meant by Individual conservatorship?
There are a couple of ways for establishing a conservatorship. For people, a court order does set this and it includes the legal care of a physically or mentally disabled person. Those who are mentally disabled are psychotic, suicidal, frantic or disabled to the degree that they fail to make financial, legal, and medical decisions themselves. Elderly people, particularly those who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s are also comprised those people who fall under conservatorships. For conservatorships related to people, mental capacity gets determined by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or a physician who has got extensive experience plus training for diagnosing conditions, such as dementia.
Understanding contested conservatorships
In the “voluntary conservatorship” the elder agrees that he/she must be conserved. The majority of the voluntary conservatorships can get established within some months and that too at a modest cost only. Again, in a “contested conservatorship” the elder or a friend or family member does object to this proposal. The objector argues that the requirement for a conservator isn’t there as the elder himself/herself can take good care of himself/herself. In a contested proceeding, usually, the court appoints an attorney who represents the proposed conservatee if he/she hasn’t an attorney.
When the case refuses to settle, then the elder gets the right to approach the jury trial for determining whether or not he/she ought to be conserved. Additionally, the court does appoint an independent physician, commonly a neuropsychiatrist or a neuropsychologist for examining the proposed conservatee plus render an opinion on a few disputed matters. These matters might comprise whether or not the proposed conservatee requires a conservator of a person or an estate and whether he/she has got a mental capacity to sign a contract or perform an estate plan.
When conservatorship becomes necessary
A person doesn’t need conservatorship when he has got a comprehensive estate plan which comprises a progressive health care directive, a trust, and a power of attorney meant for his financial affairs. Nonetheless, even when these documents are well placed, a person needs a conservator when that person’s needing care doesn’t go well with the agent or the trustee or when there is a concern that the documents can get amended or revoked. Again, it also becomes necessary when there is a danger of fraud or undue influence.
