California Conservatorship License Requirements
Do you have a relative or friend that requires assistance with daily tasks but cannot find anyone to help them? Many people become conservators of family members too old or sick to function from day to day. Some become conservators to protect their loved ones from people who manipulate those with diminished mental capacity. However, gaining status as a conservator can be a lengthy process.
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Types of Conservatorships
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When applying to the courts for conservatorship over someone, you must specify in what capacity you plan to help the individual. A conservator of the person looks after the health and well being of the conservatee, the individual who needs assistance. Services usually include nutritional help, simple medical care and social interaction. A conservator of the estate looks after the conservatee's finances if the individual cannot manage his own or falls prey to fraud. The same person often takes these roles.
Who May Qualify?
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Anybody may qualify as a conservator, even benevolent organizations. To qualify, someone must petition the court on your behalf; often the conservatee petitions for his conservator. If the conservatee cannot select one, then the court looks to the spouse first, then family, state agencies/local organizations and interested friends if all else fails.
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Necessary Information
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Any petition for a conservatorship must include an explanation why the conservatee cannot care for himself and any alternatives to conservatorship considered by the petitioner. The petitioner must also include where they propose to house the conservatee, the ability of the residence to meet the conservatee's needs and what services the conservator plans to provide.
Rights of the Conservatee
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Once granted conservatorship of individual, the conservatee still retains many rights to perform certain actions. Even if the conservatee is susceptible to fraud the conservatee directly receives any salary earned. The conservatee may marry unless a judge finds the conservatee not capable of making that choice and change his conservator if unsatisfied with his treatment.
Considerations
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Think about how becoming a conservator may change your life before allowing someone to petition the court on your behalf. Conservatorships only end when the conservatee dies or a judge declares a conservatorship no longer necessary. One may not simply cease his conservatorship at a moment's notice; the conservator must settle how the conservatee will live during a change of conservatorship.
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