The Price of Care: Investigating California Conservatorships | 'Civil Death' (Ep. 1 of 5)

Many have heard of conservatorships recently by way of Britney Spears or the Golden Globe winning Netflix film, “I Care a Lot.” But the concept of a conservatorship--or guardianship--dates to Roman times.

Today, conservatorships are when another person is court-appointed to help someone who cannot take care of themselves. It’s a powerful position. When a conservator is appointed, they gain control over another person’s life – what they eat, who they see, where they live, what medical care they receive —all while handling their money and assets.

As the baby boomer generation ages, conservatorships are becoming more common for one of our most vulnerable demographics: our elderly. And while many conservatorships do help those who need it, our year-long investigation found a system that controls a massive amount of other people’s money – just under $13 billion in California alone -- as well as personal freedom, with little oversight from state regulators, opening the door to potential financial, physical and emotional abuse.

Conservatorships in California: Everything you need to know: https://www.abc10.com/article/news/lo...

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