ElderWeb

The Detroit Free Press has published an expose about guardianship in Michigan. Guardians may be appointed by a court for older people who are no longer able to handle their own affairs. In some cases, guardians may be family members, in others they may be people or businesses who are paid to oversee the affairs of the charges. In every case, guardians have complete control over the life and financial affairs of their wards. Even so, there is shockingly little oversight over guardians and the decisions they make. No one audits the financial reports they prepare, and they re not even subject to background checks.

In this article, reporters uncovered instances where court-appointed guardians allowed client homes to be foreclosed on, took possession of a client's property, and charged "commissions" on property sales they arranged. Reporters also found instances were family members were available to oversee their parents affairs, but the court appointed an outsider as guardian without even talking to the family members to see if they would be appropriate.

>> Detroit Free Press Article