What is important when acting as a guardian is to prepare for decision making. Danielle is concerned about making the big decisions for her father. Can he continue to drive? Does his current caregiver stay in place? Or does he have to move into an assisted living facility to make sure his needs are met? Danielle is very worried about taking on this role as she lives out of state. I was explaining to her that she can be a Guardian and be out of town or even in town but not a hands on daily caregiver. As a guardian, Danielle’s job is to make sure her father is cared for. She does not have to do the caregiving herself; but as a guardian she is the ultimate decision maker.
There are also different ways to make decisions as the guardian. Danielle can look at her father’s prior decisions, what he says he wants and she can consider what is best for him. The other thing that a guardian has to remember is that they can and may have to report into the court on their actions and their decisions. Major decisions such as a move or an expensive healthcare procedure may require the court’s permission.
The Guardian’s role can be challenging but you are stepping in to make sure a person who no longer has the capacity to make decisions for themselves gets the care, and their decisions get made that protect your loved one.
