conservatorships
Court-appointed caretaking arrangements
Conservatorships are legal arrangements in which a court appoints someone to manage another person's affairs—typically finances, healthcare decisions, or both.
Courts establish them when someone is deemed unable to care for themselves due to age, illness, or disability.
The appointed conservator has significant authority over the protected person's life: The family sought a conservatorship after their father's dementia diagnosis.
High-profile cases have drawn scrutiny to how conservatorships can restrict autonomy even when the person under protection disagrees.
Forum for inheritance disputes
- fiduciaryAgent bound by loyalty
- wardProtected person; division
- estateProperty and grounds
- assetsOwned items of value
trustee · receivership · adjudication · appointee · litigation · judiciary · legal authority · custody
Imposed or inherent bounds
- controlAuthority to direct
- constraintsLimits on action
- boundariesLines marking separation
- supervisionOverseeing people or processes
restraints · confinement · autonomy · rights · abuse · exploitation · reform · Britney Spears
Protected person; division
- custodianGuardian of a place
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- tutelageGuided instruction, oversight
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
protectorate · regent · advocate · minors · incapacitated · consent · chaperone · overseer
Residential care for elderly
- nursing homeLong-term eldercare residence
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- senior careAssistance for older adults
- dementia careAssistance for cognitive deterioration
long-term care · home health aide · caregiver · respite · palliative · medication management · retirement community · adult day care
Maximum amount containable
- psychiatryMental health medicine
- incompetenceLack of required skill
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
mental illness · bipolar · schizophrenia · therapy · psychologist · treatment · inpatient · outpatient
probate court
Forum for inheritance disputes
assets · trustee · receivership · adjudication · appointee · litigation · judiciary · legal authority · custody · injunction
limitations
Imposed or inherent bounds
- controlAuthority to direct
- constraintsLimits on action
- boundariesLines marking separation
supervision · restraints · confinement · autonomy · rights · abuse · exploitation · reform · Britney Spears · alternatives
ward
Protected person; division
- custodianGuardian of a place
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- tutelageGuided instruction, oversight
oversight · protectorate · regent · advocate · minors · incapacitated · consent · chaperone · overseer · safeguarding
assisted living
Residential care for elderly
- nursing homeLong-term eldercare residence
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- senior careAssistance for older adults
dementia care · long-term care · home health aide · caregiver · respite · palliative · medication management · retirement community · adult day care · mobility aid
capacity
Maximum amount containable
- psychiatryMental health medicine
- incompetenceLack of required skill
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
diagnosis · mental illness · bipolar · schizophrenia · therapy · psychologist · treatment · inpatient · outpatient · psychotropic
conservatorshipsself-determination
Control over one's fate
legal independence · competency · legal capacity · capacity · freedom
conservatorshipsindependence
Freedom from external control
freedom · self-governance · autonomy · self-management · personal liberty
conservatorshipsself-direction
Controlling one's own choices
personal agency · self-management · independent living · power of attorney · living wills