Elderly, mentally ill and children trapped in broken court system

Thousands of Ohio’s most vulnerable residents are trapped in a system that was created to protect them but instead allows unscrupulous guardians to rob them of their freedom, dignity and money. Even judges who oversee the system acknowledge that it is broken, that it has ripped apart families, rendered the mentally ill voiceless, and left some elderly Ohioans dying penniless in nursing homes.
Anyone could end up in this system that currently controls the lives of 65,000 Ohioans, especially decisions about medical care and personal finances. And almost anyone can become a guardian — a loved one, a close friend, a stranger, even a felon.
One Columbus lawyer proudly proclaims that he likely is guardian of more wards than anyone in the country — about 400 people.
This system, which is supposed to look out for the health and well-being of the elderly, the mentally disabled and children, is directed by probate judges in 88 counties. And for lack of detailed guidelines from the state, the counties have 88 different ways of overseeing guardians and their wards.
The Ohio Supreme Court recognized the problems and assigned a committee nearly eight years ago to come up with rules. This year, the committee finally put forward a plan that falls far short of national standards and what advocates say is necessary to protect vulnerable Ohioans.
Meanwhile, probate court dockets are overloaded.
The courts also handle other family matters, such as adoptions, marriage licenses, wills and disputes over estates. And the demand for guardianships will grow as the number of people 65 or older in the U.S. doubles by 2050.
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Elderly, mentally ill and children trapped in broken court system