Many people are used to receiving care from their parents and may have a hard time envisioning a day when their parents will need care. However, some senior citizens may be unable to take care of themselves as they age. In this situation, it is a good idea for their adult children to appoint a guardian.
Some people might think that their parents do not need a guardian because they are still capable of taking care of themselves. Alzheimers.net says that elderly people generally need a guardian if they are in danger of being financially exploited. Some senior citizens may be capable of fulfilling their daily needs but fail to realize that some requests for money are scams. In this situation, this parent likely needs someone to manage his or her finances.
Additionally, a senior citizen may need a guardian if he or she has lapses in memory. Some elderly people may be capable of going through the motions of their daily routine but if they leave the stove on or get lost in their neighborhood, they might need a guardian. In some situations, a parent may not be able to make decisions anymore. When this happens, a guardian is usually a necessity.
When people realize their parents need a guardian, they may simply start taking care of daily matters. According to HealthinAging.org, it is a good idea for people to go to court so they can become the legal guardian of their parents. Becoming a legal guardian gives adult children the ability to make legally-binding decisions for their parents. Most of the time, there are two types of guardianship people can seek. If people have unlimited guardianship, they can generally make every decision for their elderly parent. This includes medical as well as financial choices. If people get a limited guardianship, they can typically make decisions about one thing. People might make financial choices for their parents, for example, or medical choices, but with a limited guardianship, they usually do not make decisions in both areas.
