Article: When you arrange for guardianship of an adult, that adult loses a number of the rights they enjoyed as an adult. Consider whether this is the best option for them at the moment. Are there alternatives that could work, even temporarily? Would the removal of any of these rights cause them undue hardship? Or would the removal of any of these rights protect them and the people around them? Examples of the types of rights this adult would lose are as follows: The right to decide where and how they want to live. The right to determine what medical treatment they will and will not receive. The right to decide whether they want any extraordinary measures to be taken if they're dying. The ability to have a driver's license. The ability to own, buy, sell and manage property of any kind. The ability to own or possess a firearm or other type of weapon. The ability to enter into contracts or file lawsuits against others. The ability to marry someone. The ability to vote in any type of election. Guardianship decisions are difficult and should not be made by you alone. When deciding if it's time to obtain guardianship of a specific adult, ensure you take that adult's wishes into account. Hopefully you've had a chance to talk on the subject with this adult in the past, or can talk to them now. If not, think about what they believe in and value and make sure your decision aligns with those. If the person is capable of it, review guardianship and its alternatives together and let them take the lead. If they don't fully understand, do your best to give a summary in plain language, so they know what's going on and can make as many choices as they are able to. This is a good time to think about the plans you need to make for your future, and the future of your other family members. When you have time, take the opportunity to sit and talk with them. Document your wishes, and those of your family members for future reference. The state in which the adult (for whom guardianship is being sought) lives is the state who has authority over granting guardianship requests. And each state has slightly different procedures for granting guardianship that you must understand. Most, if not all, states have detailed procedural information on their websites to help you understand the process. Note that the extent to which guardianship is granted is defined by the court. They will usually only grant enough authority to the guardian as is required to keep the adult safe nothing more. The guardian must operate within the parameters set out by the court. Guardianship can be granted to a family member, friend, or private or public entity, as seen fit by the court. Guardianship can be granted for a person or for an estate. You need to determine which type of guardianship may be required for the adult in question. Having guardianship of the person means you can make all decisions regarding their person (e.g. movement, education, medical, etc.). Having guardianship of an estate means you have the ability to oversee all the decisions regarding the property included in the estate (e.g. real estate, bank accounts, debt responsibilities, etc.). Guardianship for a person may include having the following responsibilities: Being able to determine where the adult should live, and how they live. Being able to determine what medical treatment the adult receives. Being able to decide what education and/or counselling the adult receives. Consent to the release of confidential information about the adult. Being able to make end-of-life decisions on behalf of the adult. Acting as a representative payee for the adult. Ensuring the adult can maintain the maximum amount of independence possible. Reporting to the court regarding the adult on a regular basis. Guardianship for an estate may include having the following responsibilities: Being able to marshall and protect assets owned by the adult. Being able to get property appraised. Being able to make decisions that helps to protect property and assets from loss. Being able to receive income from estate assets on behalf of the adult. Being able to make whatever payouts and disbursements required by the estate. Most likely you will be required to obtain court approval before selling any assets belonging to the adult. Reporting to the court regarding the estate on a regular basis. A guardian can be a family member, a friend, or another entity. The other 'entity' can include a professional guardian. Professional guardians are people who provide guardianship services as their job. They take specific training courses about guardianship and become certified as professional guardians. Professional guardians may be useful to family members who do not reside near the person who needs a guardian. Professional guardians will help to select and monitor any types of services required by the adult, such as selecting a nursing home or in-home care, approving medical treatment, etc. Some professional guardians obtain access to the financial assets of the person for whom they are a guardian, in order to pay for the services the adult requires. However, those assets never become the property of the guardian, and the guardian must provide financial reports to the court on a regular basis for each person for whom they are a guardian. Guardians, of any type, must be at least 18 years of age or older. Unfortunately, sometimes family members disagree as to who should be appointed guardian. If there is more than one opinion as to who should be appointed, family members will need to present their option in court and provide evidence why that option is the best one. The final decision will be left up to the judge. You or someone else should be able to talk with them every once and a while to see if they feel that guardianship is suiting them well, and if they are having any problems. It's possible that the adult will gain more skills, and be ready for more independence than they could handle before. Do they have any problems or frustrations? How could you fix or work around these issues? What is working well? What could be improved? How has their situation changed lately? Are their needs and skills different? It's important to help the adult feel that they have a say in the direction of their lives, even if they aren't capable of independence. Take time to listen to them and make them feel heard.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Realize that you are removing their constitutional rights. Talk to them to find out what they want. Understand which state has authority. Determine the type of guardianship required. Decide who the guardian will be. Be prepared to periodically check up with the adult.

Your statement should be no more than 1-to-2 pages in length. The philosophy will describe your objectives as a teacher and how you plan to reach them. It will describe your idea of effective teaching and how you feel teachers should relate to students. You will describe your belief about what and how students are capable of learning. Include any grade level teaching experience that you have. Note substitute teaching, childcare center work, Sunday school or other child-related teaching. This can include evaluations and reports from your supervisor during student teaching if you do not have a teaching job. You should choose lessons that stand out from the typical lesson format. Include pictures, teacher-created materials and descriptions of the activities. Use samples for assessment OF, AS, and FOR learning Rubrics, checklists, exams, charts, etc can be included Always remove the students' names from the work. Most sessions will give you a certificate of completion. Identify any continuing education activities including any graduate coursework, professional organization memberships, educational research and professional journal subscriptions. These include coaching, team leadership, school improvement committees, parent and teacher organization participation and student tutoring.
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Make copies of your diplomas and degrees. Obtain copies of your teaching licenses and certificates. Include your philosophy of teaching and the ability of students to learn. Create a resume that demonstrates your ability and skills to perform in the classroom as an educator. Acquire copies of evaluations conducted by administrators. Ask colleagues and supervisors to write letters of recommendation that attest to your good faith and ability to work with students. Provide samples of lessons and/or lesson plans that show creativity and use of technology in the classroom. Include samples of assessment tools used during teaching Collect students' work resulting from effective teaching methods that you have conducted. Supply proof of attendance to educational workshops and training sessions. Document any educational or school activities that you manage outside of the classroom.