Preying on Seniors: Some Urge Training for Legal Guardians

Becoming a legal guardian — agreeing to manage someone's personal and financial affairs — is a big responsibility, say those who work in the field.

For that reason, they think there should be a level of basic training for the friends, relatives or others who agree to assist someone impaired by age or disability.

“In many states, when people are appointed as guardians they are required to get training,” said Becky Smith, director of fiduciary services for GuardiaCare, a private, nonprofit agency that provides guardianship and other services in the Louisville area.

But not in Kentucky.

Before appointing a state guardian, judges generally seek a friend or relative as the first choice — and that may mean appointing someone with good intentions but not necessarily familiar with all the duties, Smith said.

The training doesn't need to be extensive, she said, but ought to include basic information about a guardian's responsibilities, how to keep records and how to prepare an annual report that the guardian is supposed to file in court.

GuardiaCare has offered to provide the training on a voluntary basis to people appointed as guardians in Jefferson District Court.

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Preying on Seniors: Some Urge Training for Legal Guardians

See Also:
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Registry Sought for Abusers of Adults