Every individual has the right to make their own decisions. However, when a person is severely ill, they may not be able to make decisions that reflect their own best interests. Therefore, loved ones of the individual often take action to seek to be able to make decisions on their behalf. This is often known as a conservatorship.
If you want to gain a conservatorship to make health care decisions on behalf of a loved one, you must understand when conservatorships are beneficial and when they are used.
Who can benefit from a conservatorship?
Generally speaking, those who can no longer manage basic decisions can benefit from a conservatorship. For example, a young adult with a traumatic brain injury will benefit from a conservatorship, as well as an elderly person suffering from severe dementia.
What actions can a conservator take?
The actions that a conservator can take will depend on the rights that the courts grant them. The rights that the courts grant will depend on a number of factors. One of these factors will be the evaluation of the situation that the person is in. For example, if they can communicate and make their opinions known, the conservator will probably have a lower amount of rights. However, if the person is unconscious and unable to make decisions in any way, the conservator will probably have the right to make life and death decisions on their behalf.
If you are worried about the well-being of a loved one, you may want to seek the right to make decisions on their behalf. Before doing so, you should understand the legal process that it is necessary to go through.
