When someone is unable to make decisions on her own, she needs the help of a guardian, which is appointed by the court. Adult guardianship is common among seniors who are experiencing declining mental capacity due to their age, or because of the effects of dementia or stroke.
Understanding Adult Guardianship | Estate Lawyers in Cary NC
In the first part of this series, our estate lawyers in Cary NC explained how adult guardianship works for people with disabilities. In many cases, it is sought when the person turns 18 and is considered a legal adult but is mentally incapable of making his or her own decisions.
Now we’ll look at situations where elderly people may need someone to petition for guardianship because they are unable to make their decisions because of mental decline or brain injury.
In any situation, when one seeks guardianship of another, he or she must submit a petition to the court that presents evidence the person needs help. If the person has dementia or Alzheimer’s, a court psychologist can determine it during the hearing but other evidence will need to be submitted and reviewed as well. When someone has a guardian appointed, he or she is considered a ward.
Eldreth Law Firm, PLLC | Estate Lawyers in Cary NC
If you don’t have an estate plan in place or haven’t reviewed yours in several years, now might be the best time to start. Our estate lawyers in Cary NC are here to help you get your estate plan in order and ready should you pass in an untimely manner or become incapacitated at some point. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to estate planning. Contact our office, today, to get started.
Also, remember that our law office offers other legal services for you, as well. Whether it’s entertainment law, family law, small business law and others, our estate lawyers in Cary NC are available to help you through your legal situation. Contact us, today, to make an appointment.
Below, you'll find other blogs in this series. Be sure to read over this information, as well:
- Understanding Adult Guardianship, Part One
- Understanding Adult Guardianship, Part Two
- Understanding Adult Guardianship, Part Three
- Understanding Adult Guardianship, Part Four
