Top 3 Tips to Protect Your Loved Ones in the Wake of the Rebecca Fierle Guardianship Scandal
September 04, 2019
By: Melody Lynch
Per AARP, an estimated 1.3 million
American adults are under guardianship, with approximately 85% being over age
65. In the wake of revelations that professional guardian, Rebecca
Fierle, signed Do Not Resuscitate orders for a plethora of elderly wards in her
care without knowledge or approval by family members, you may be wondering how
to protect your family in the event that guardianship is necessary or
appropriate.
The first tip is that FAMILY IS
BEST. Rebecca Fierle aside, there are dedicated and wonderful
professional guardians who serve an important function in the guardianship
system. However, wherever possible, select a family member to serve as
guardian. Two family members can also be appointed as co-guardians to
ease the burden on any one family member. Family members have intimate
knowledge of the ward’s likes, dislikes, preferences, and medical history that
can be critically important in the long-run.
The second tip is to BE
REPRESENTED. The Court will appoint a lawyer for the ward.
However, you can (and should) hire your own lawyer to participate in the
process and to keep the family involved in making decisions that are truly in
the best interest of the ward. Court appointed lawyers are not
compensated unless a guardianship is established. This is not always in
the best interest of the ward but you need a lawyer to participate and seek less
restrictive means where appropriate. This leads me to my third and most
important tip:
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