“A legal process by which a probate court appoints one or more individuals to handle the personal and financial affairs of a minor or person of any age the court determines to be mentally incompetent. The state Executive Office of Elder Affairs contracts with seven agencies to provide Guardianship services to elders who have been abused and/or who a court has determined to be at risk or harm, and to lack decision-making capacity.”
Bookman, A., Harrington, M., Pass, L., & Reisner, E. (2007). Family caregiver handbook: Finding elder care resources in Massachusetts. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.