Saturday 22 October 2016

Determining What Conservatorship Los Angeles Means For Senior Citizens

By Jessica Sanders


Most people value their independence as they grow older. They may resist giving up habits of a lifetime such as driving. Some senior citizens find themselves in difficult situations as they begin to lose their health or start to run out of money in retirement. When things become severe enough to alarm family member and friends, it might be good to consider the kind of conservatorship Los Angeles courts put in place.

It is unsettling for some to think about end of life issues like making a will and letting certain family members know how long they want their life prolonged medically and whether they wish to be buried or cremated. If they don't do these things a conservator may end up making the decisions for them. A general conservator is one who makes all an individual's decisions, and a limited conservator is appointed to help out in the areas where the senior is having trouble.

The general conservator of a person has control over all aspects of that person's life. This includes medical care, living arrangements, transportation and anything else that affects an individual's care and maintenance. An estate conservator takes charge of the individual's finances and assets. This person decides how money will be spent and is responsible for paying the conservatee's bills.

When it comes to deciding who will be the conservator for an individual, the court's first responsibility is to the affected person. Sometimes the conservatee has indicated a preference prior to becoming incapacitated. Other times the court has to appoint someone on the person's behalf. This can be an adult child, a spouse, an immediate family member or family friend. It is up to the court to decide.

Once the court has been petitioned to appoint a conservator, it will hand the matter over to an investigator. This person meets with the individual in question to make sure they understand how the conservatorship works. The investigator is required to report back to the judge in the case with a confidential analysis.

Sometimes it is necessary to appoint a temporary guardian for an individual until a permanent conservator can be found. This might happen if there is a personal emergency in the senior citizen's life or if the current guardian is removed by the court for some reason. Temporary conservatorships usually last two to three months.

Conservatorships end in the death of the elderly person or the unexpected demise of the guardian. Sometimes the senior is only temporarily incapacitated and, at some point, can regain some control over personal affairs. Under certain circumstances the current conservator may petition the court to have him or herself removed from responsibility. In this case the court will begin the process of choosing a guardian all over again.

Most people hope they will never be in a situation where they require the services to an official conservator. This is a safeguard put in place for the safety and peace of someone who no longer can care for themselves.




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