25 – Legal Guardianship

A legal guardian should be considered when an adult is temporarily or permanently no longer able to take care of all or some of their personal affairs due to a mental illness or a mental, emotional or physical impairment.

Initially, close relatives may be appointed as legal guardians, but employees of a guardianship association, the guardianship authority or volunteer guardians as well as professional guardians may also be appointed. If a guardianship decree has already been drafted, the person requested in the decree will be appointed as a guardian once the guardianship court has reviewed the decree. When making the appointment, the guardianship court must always take into account the person’s preferences.