Adult Guardianships

When someone you love can no longer make decisions for themselves, the question of who steps in, and how, matters more than most families realize. In this episode, Katie S. Heald, Esq. walks through two of the most important legal tools in that situation: Powers of Attorney and Adult Guardianship. Katie addresses one of the most common misconceptions the firm encounters, that a diagnosis of dementia or another cognitive condition means it's too late to create a Power of Attorney. The truth is that capacity at the time of signing is what matters, not the diagnosis itself. She also explains what happens when planning isn't possible and a court must step in, walking through the full guardianship process in Delaware, from filing a petition to the appointment of a guardian and the ongoing obligations that follow. Whether you're planning ahead or navigating a crisis, this conversation will help you understand your options and why the time to act is always sooner than you think.