Guardianship and conservatorship Guardians may be appointed for protection of the person only. A conservator must be appointed to protect property and business affairs of a person in need of protection. A guardian may be appointed for an incapacitated person “who for...
With hospital capacity increasing during the flu season, health care professionals are sounding the alarm on the need for legal guardians to help patients in Massachusetts who have not filled out a health care proxy form. In most cases, the situation is avoidable by...
Elder neglect doesn’t always look like abuse. In fact, some of the most common and legally punishable forms of neglect happen behind closed doors and often involve well-meaning family members who simply don’t realize where the legal line is drawn. As life expectancy...
A competent adult in Massachusetts can create a Health Care Proxy (HCP), a legal document appointing a trusted person, called a Health Care Agent (HCA), to make medical care and treatment decisions on the person’s behalf if he or she later becomes incapacitated. The...
Q: When is a guardianship appropriate? A: Courts in Massachusetts appoint a guardian for a person who suffers from a clinically diagnosed condition that impairs the person's ability to make or communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the...