Who will care for seniors? As guardians help, exploitation is feared.

Who will care for seniors?As guardians help, exploitation is fearedBy MEG HECKMANMonitor staffOctober 15. 2006 10:00AMIt's increasingly difficult for New Hampshire's judges to find guardians for seniors who are too ill to make decisions about their health care and finances.As a result, courts are relying for the first time on private businesses that profit from supervising frail elders. These guardians can pay bills, make medical decisions and decide where the senior lives. Sometimes they referee family disputes or untangle decades of messy bookkeeping. Often, they serve as guides through the medical, financial and emotional complexities of aging."When you have an outside guardian, you can go about the business of being a family, and let me take care of all the junk," said Jeannette Marino, a guardian from Concord. "I'm not there to tell you what to do. I'm you're customer representative. What do you want me to do?"

Concord Monitor Online Article - Who will care for seniors? - Your News Source - 03301