Slide 3
Slide 3
Competency/
Guardianship
As the baby boomer population ages, issues of independent living and competency become increasingly important. Individuals who have developed dementia or other cognitive issues will begin to have difficulty with legal, financial, and medical decision-making. As the disease progresses, they will have difficulty with activities of daily living such as self-care, cooking, cleaning, and hygiene. The forensic psychologist role is to determine whether or not an individual has reached a level at which a Guardian needs to be appointed. If a family member is capable of providing guardianship, this would be preferred, but in many cases, Adult Protective Services needs to be contacted in order to appoint a neutral third party Guardian.
