guardianship monitoring in florida - florida courts · introduction a guardian is a surrogate...

Page 1

Gu

ar

dia

nsh

ipm

on

ito

rin

gin

Flo

rid

a:

Fulf

illi

ng

th

eC

ou

rt

’s d

ut

yt

o p

ro

tec

t w

ar

ds

2003

Guardianship

is

the

pro

cess

by w

hic

h a

court

fin

ds

a per

son’s

abil

ity t

o m

ake

dec

isio

ns

so i

mpai

red b

ecau

se o

f m

enta

l an

d/o

r physi

cal

dis

abil

itie

s, t

hat

the

right

to

mak

e dec

isio

ns

is l

egal

ly g

rante

d t

o a

noth

er p

arty

. T

hat

par

ty,

know

n a

s a

guar

dia

n,

bec

om

es t

he

surr

ogat

e dec

isio

n-m

aker

in p

erso

nal

and/o

r fi

nan

cial

mat

ters

for

the

inca

pac

itat

ed p

erso

n,

know

n a

s a

“war

d.”

Supr

eme

Cou

rt C

omm

issi

on o

n Fa

irne

ss, C

omm

itte

e on

Gua

rdia

nshi

p M

onto

ring

Page 2

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Mel

Gro

ssm

an

, Co

-ch

air

Cir

cuit

Co

urt

Ju

dg

e, S

even

teen

th C

ircu

it

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Patr

icia

Th

om

as,

Co

-ch

air

Cir

cuit

Co

urt

Ju

dg

e, F

ifth

Cir

cuit

Ms.

Kare

n C

am

pb

ell

, P

ub

lic

Gu

ard

ian

,S

eco

nd

Cir

cuit

Mr.

Cla

y C

raig

, A

tto

rney

at

Law

,re

pre

sen

tin

g t

he

Rea

l P

rop

erty

, Pro

bat

e,an

d T

rust

Law

Sec

tio

n o

f T

he

Flo

rid

a B

ar

Mr.

Jo

hn

DeG

roo

t,O

ffic

e o

f th

e A

tto

rney

Gen

eral

, Co

ord

inat

or

of

Sp

ecia

l P

roje

cts

Mr.

Jo

sep

h P

. G

eo

rge, Jr

., A

tto

rney

at

Law

, rep

rese

nti

ng

th

e G

ov

ern

men

tL

awy

ers

Sec

tio

n o

f T

he

Flo

rid

a B

ar

Mr.

Jo

hn

Gra

nt,

Att

orn

ey a

t L

aw,

form

erS

tate

Sen

ato

r an

d f

orm

er E

xecu

tiv

eD

irec

tor

of

the

Sta

tew

ide

Pu

bli

c G

uar

d-

ian

ship

Off

ice

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Geo

rge W

. G

reer,

Cir

cuit

Co

urt

Ju

dg

e, S

ixth

Cir

cuit

Ms.

Ap

ril

Hil

l, A

tto

rney

at

Law

, fo

rmer

dir

ecto

r o

f th

e E

lder

Ju

stic

e C

ente

r o

f th

eT

hir

teen

th C

ircu

it

Ste

ve

n H

oll

ow

ay

, P

hD

, Dea

n o

f B

arry

Un

iver

sity

Sch

oo

l o

f S

oci

al W

ork

Ms.

Mar

ia D

iaz

Lo

wry

, Co

urt

In

ves

tig

ato

r/M

on

ito

r, S

even

teen

th C

ircu

it

Mr.

Ric

har

d M

ilst

ein

, Att

orn

ey a

t L

aw,

rep

rese

nti

ng

th

e E

lder

Law

Sec

tio

n o

f T

he

Flo

rid

a B

ar

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Do

na

ld R

. M

ora

n,

Jr.,

Ch

ief

Jud

ge,

Fo

urt

h C

ircu

it

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Belv

in P

err

y, Jr

., C

hie

f Ju

dg

e,N

inth

Cir

cuit

Mr.

Jo

hn

Petr

ila,

Ex

ecu

tiv

e D

irec

tor,

Sta

tew

ide

Pu

bli

c G

uar

dia

nsh

ip O

ffic

e

Mr.

Ste

ven

E. Q

uin

nell

, Att

orn

ey a

t L

aw,

Nat

ion

al A

sso

ciat

ion

of

Eld

er L

aw A

tto

rney

s

Th

e H

on

ora

ble

Su

san

Se

xto

n,

Cir

cuit

Co

urt

Jud

ge,

Th

irte

enth

Cir

cuit

Sta

ff S

up

po

rt

Ms.

De

bra

Ho

we

lls,

res

earc

h,

cop

yw

riti

ng

, an

dsu

pp

ort

to c

omm

itte

eM

s. E

ve J

an

ock

o,

sup

por

t to

com

mit

tee

Ms.

Je

nn

ife

r M

cCo

rd,

des

ign

Up

on

req

ues

t b

y a

per

son

wit

h a

dis

abil

ity

, th

isd

ocu

men

t w

ill

be

mad

e av

aila

ble

in

acc

essi

ble

form

ats.

Off

ice

of

the

Sta

te C

ou

rts

Ad

min

istr

ato

r50

0 S

. D

uv

al S

tree

tT

alla

has

see,

Flo

rid

a 32

399-

1900

tele

ph

on

e 85

0-92

2-50

81em

ail

osc

a@fl

cou

rts.

org

GU

AR

DIA

NS

HIP

MO

NIT

OR

ING

CO

MM

ITT

EE

DE

DIC

AT

ION

Thi

s re

port

is

dedi

cate

d to

the

mem

ory

of K

enn

eth

R. P

alm

er,

who

pro

pose

d th

at g

uar

dian

-sh

ip m

onit

orin

g be

incl

ude

d as

a st

udy

top

ic w

ithi

n t

he S

ep-

tem

ber

1, 1

999,

adm

inis

trat

ive

ord

er r

eau

thor

izin

g t

he

Su

-p

rem

e C

ourt

Com

mis

sion

on

Fai

rnes

s.

Mr.

Pal

mer

die

d of

can

cer

at t

he a

ge o

f 54,

on

Apr

il20

, 200

1, h

avin

g se

rved

as

Sta

teC

ourt

s A

dm

inis

trat

or s

ince

1984

. T

he S

tate

Cou

rts

Sys

-te

m a

nd

the

Flo

ridi

ans

it s

erve

s–

incl

udi

ng

the

war

ds w

ho a

reth

e su

bjec

t of

thi

s re

port

– h

ave

lost

a g

reat

lea

der,

su

ppor

ter,

and

defe

nde

r.

Page 3

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

Mis

sion o

f G

uar

dia

nsh

ip M

onitori

ng

..................................................................................................

2

Exec

utive

Sum

mar

y..........................................................................................................................

3

Intr

oduct

ion

......................................................................................................................................

5

Com

mit

tee

Pro

cess

...........................................................................................................................

7

Gro

win

g N

eed f

or

Guar

dia

nsh

ip in F

lori

da

........................................................................................

8

Eff

ective

Guar

dia

nsh

ip M

onitori

ng is

Ess

ential

..................................................................................

13

The

Curr

ent S

ituat

ion in F

lori

da

As

Des

crib

ed a

t P

ublic

Hea

rings

.....................................................

14

Judi

cial

Inp

ut......................................................................................................................

14

Cle

rk o

f C

ourt

Input

...........................................................................................................

16

Citiz

en I

nput

.......................................................................................................................

17

Guar

dia

n I

nput.

...................................................................................................................

17

Attorn

ey I

nput

....................................................................................................................

19

Vet

eran

s’ A

dm

inis

trat

ion I

nput.............................................................................................

20

Min

imum

Sta

ndar

ds

for

Guar

dia

nsh

ip M

onitori

ng

............................................................................

21

Com

ponen

ts o

f an

Idea

l G

uar

dia

nsh

ip M

onitori

ng P

rogra

m..............................................................

23

1

. I

nitia

l an

d O

n-G

oin

g S

cree

nin

g a

nd R

evie

win

g o

f G

uar

dia

ns

........................................

25

2

. R

eport

ing o

n the

Wel

l-B

eing o

f th

e W

ard

....................................................................

27

3

. R

eport

ing o

n the

Pro

tect

ion o

f th

e W

ard’s

Ass

ets

........................................................

30

4

. C

ase

Adm

inis

trat

ion

....................................................................................................

33

Min

or

Guar

dia

nsh

ips.......................................................................................................................

36

Educa

tion a

nd T

rain

ing I

ssues

..........................................................................................................

37

Page 4

MIS

SIO

N O

F G

UA

RD

IAN

SH

IP M

ON

ITO

RIN

G

Th

e m

issi

on

of

gua

rdia

nsh

ip m

on

ito

rin

g is

to

co

llec

t, p

ro-

vid

e, a

nd

ev

alu

ate

in

form

ati

on

ab

ou

t th

e w

ell-

bei

ng

an

dp

rop

erty

of

all

per

son

s a

dju

dic

ate

d o

f h

av

ing

a l

ega

l in

ca-

pa

city

so

th

at

the

cou

rt c

an

fu

lfil

l it

s le

gal

ob

liga

tio

n t

op

rote

ct a

nd

pre

serv

e th

e in

tere

sts

of

the

wa

rd,

an

d t

her

eby

pro

mo

te c

on

fid

ence

in

th

e ju

dic

ial

pro

cess

.

2

Page 5

EX

EC

UT

IVE

SU

MM

AR

Y

A g

uar

dia

n i

s a

surr

og

ate

dec

isio

n-m

aker

ap

po

inte

d b

y t

he

cou

rt t

o m

ake

per

son

al a

nd

/o

r fi

nan

cial

dec

isio

ns

eith

er (

1) f

or

an a

du

lt w

ith

men

tal

or

ph

ysi

cal

dis

abil

itie

s w

ho

has

bee

n a

dju

dic

ated

in

cap

acit

ated

; o

r (2

) fo

r a

min

or

in c

ircu

mst

ance

sw

her

e th

e p

aren

ts d

ie o

r b

eco

me

inca

pac

itat

ed o

r if

a c

hil

d r

ecei

ves

an

inh

erit

ance

, pro

ceed

s o

f a

law

suit

, or

insu

ran

ce p

oli

cyex

ceed

ing

th

e am

ou

nt

allo

wed

by

sta

tute

. T

her

e ar

e b

etw

een

30,

000

and

40,

000

op

en g

uar

dia

nsh

ips

in F

lori

da

at a

ny

giv

enti

me.

Wh

en t

he

cou

rt r

emo

ves

an

ad

ult

’s r

igh

ts t

o o

rder

his

or

her

ow

n a

ffai

rs, t

her

e is

an

acc

om

pan

yin

g d

uty

to

pro

tect

th

ein

div

idu

al.

Gu

ard

ian

ship

is

a d

isti

nct

an

d u

niq

ue

typ

e o

f ju

dic

ial

mat

ter.

Un

lik

e o

ther

cas

es, g

uar

dia

nsh

ips

may

rem

ain

op

en f

or

yea

rso

r ev

en d

ecad

es,

par

ticu

larl

y i

n c

ases

in

vo

lvin

g a

du

lts

wit

h d

evel

op

men

tal

or

men

tal

dis

abil

itie

s.

Gu

ard

ian

ship

is

also

dif

fere

nt

bec

ause

alt

ho

ug

h i

t b

egin

s w

ith

an

ad

ver

sari

al h

eari

ng

, on

ce i

nca

pac

ity

has

bee

n d

eter

min

ed, t

her

e ar

e u

sual

ly n

o“a

dv

ersa

ries

” to

bri

ng

co

nce

rns

to t

he

cou

rt’s

att

enti

on

. T

hu

s, t

he

cou

rt m

ust

be

pro

acti

ve

to d

isco

ver

an

d r

esp

on

d t

o d

is-

pu

tes

and

iss

ues

.

Th

e in

evit

able

ag

ing

of

ou

r S

tate

an

d N

atio

n, s

itu

atio

ns

lead

ing

to

min

or

gu

ard

ian

ship

s, a

nd

th

e in

cid

ence

of

dev

elo

pm

enta

ld

isab

ilit

ies

and

men

tal

dis

ord

ers

wil

l in

flu

ence

pu

bli

c p

oli

cy c

on

sid

erat

ion

s fo

r th

e fo

rese

eab

le f

utu

re.

Alr

ead

y t

he

Flo

rid

ale

gal

sy

stem

is

con

fro

nti

ng

an

d s

eek

ing

an

swer

s to

ess

enti

al i

ssu

es, s

uch

as

ho

w t

he

cou

rts

wil

l b

e ab

le t

o a

deq

uat

ely

ex

er-

cise

th

eir

leg

al,

eth

ical

, an

d m

ora

l re

spo

nsi

bil

itie

s to

mo

nit

or

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es a

nd

pro

tect

th

e in

cap

acit

ated

ad

ult

s en

-tr

ust

ed t

o t

hei

r ca

re.

Th

e ro

le o

f a

gu

ard

ian

is

hig

hly

co

mp

lex

, in

vo

lvin

g l

egal

, so

cial

, fi

nan

cial

, an

d p

sych

olo

gic

al d

imen

sio

ns.

W

hil

e m

ost

gu

ard

ian

s an

d a

tto

rney

s d

o a

n a

dm

irab

le jo

b,

it i

s n

eces

sary

fo

r co

urt

s to

act

ivel

y e

xer

cise

th

eir

ov

ersi

gh

t re

spo

nsi

bil

ity

in

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es i

n o

rder

to

pro

tect

an

d p

rese

rve

the

inte

rest

s o

f p

erso

ns

wit

h a

leg

al i

nca

pac

ity

. W

hil

e it

is

bey

on

dd

isp

ute

th

at c

ou

rt-a

pp

oin

ted

gu

ard

ian

s sh

ou

ld b

e su

per

vis

ed b

y t

he

cou

rt,

it s

ho

uld

als

o b

e re

mem

ber

ed t

hat

th

e v

ast

maj

ori

ty o

f g

uar

dia

ns

are

fam

ily

mem

ber

s w

ho

are

per

form

ing

dif

ficu

lt, u

np

aid

, an

d t

han

kle

ss w

ork

, so

lely

fro

m a

sen

se o

ffa

mil

ial

dev

oti

on

an

d d

uty

. A

cco

rdin

gly

, gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

sh

ou

ld b

e co

nd

uct

ed i

n t

he

leas

t b

urd

enso

me

and

dis

-ru

pti

ve

man

ner

po

ssib

le t

hat

eff

ecti

vel

y a

cco

mp

lish

es t

he

go

al o

f p

rote

ctin

g w

ard

s.

3

Page 6

Ba

sed

on

its

rev

iew

, th

e C

om

mit

tee

ad

op

ted

th

e fo

llo

win

g fi

nd

ings

, wh

ich

are

ex-

pla

ined

in

gre

ate

r d

eta

il t

hro

ugh

ou

t th

e re

po

rt:

�M

ost

gu

ard

ian

s an

d a

tto

rney

s d

o a

n a

dm

irab

le j

ob

; h

ow

ever

, th

ere

is a

nee

d f

or

gre

ater

ov

ersi

gh

t, t

o p

rote

ctin

div

idu

als

wh

o a

re s

ub

ject

to

gu

ard

ian

ship

.�

An

idea

l gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

gra

m e

nco

mp

asse

s fo

ur

maj

or

serv

ice

area

s: (

1) in

itia

l an

d o

n-g

oin

g s

cree

nin

gan

d r

evie

win

g o

f g

uar

dia

ns;

(2)

rep

ort

ing

on

th

e w

ell-

bei

ng

of

the

war

d;

(3)

rep

ort

ing

on

th

e p

rote

ctio

n o

f th

ew

ard

’s a

sset

s; a

nd

(4)

cas

e ad

min

istr

atio

n.

�M

inim

um

req

uir

emen

ts f

or

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

sh

ou

ld b

e es

tab

lish

ed a

nd

th

e m

on

ito

rin

g p

roce

ss s

ho

uld

be

wel

l d

efin

ed.

�In

sofa

r as

po

ssib

le,

the

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

cess

sh

ou

ld b

e tr

ansp

aren

t an

d o

pen

, an

d c

om

mu

nic

atio

n b

etw

een

th

em

on

ito

r an

d t

he

jud

ge

sho

uld

be

in w

riti

ng

an

d b

eco

me

par

t o

f th

e o

ffic

ial

cou

rt r

eco

rd.

�U

nif

orm

rep

ort

ing

fo

rms

sho

uld

be

ado

pte

d o

n a

sta

tew

ide

bas

is.

�T

her

e is

a n

eed

fo

r a

wel

l-d

efin

ed p

roce

ss f

or

rev

iew

of

the

ann

ual

pla

n a

nd

val

idat

ion

of

the

wel

l-b

ein

g o

f th

ew

ard

.�

Th

ere

is a

nee

d f

or

wel

l-d

efin

ed f

inan

cial

au

dit

s, w

ith

gra

du

atin

g le

vel

s o

f re

vie

w a

s ap

pro

pri

ate.

Gu

ard

ian

ship

case

s sh

ou

ld b

e au

dit

ed b

ased

on

a s

tati

stic

al r

and

om

sam

pli

ng

, as

wel

l as

wh

en a

pro

ble

m i

s in

dic

ated

.�

It i

s so

un

d p

ub

lic

po

licy

fo

r g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

on

ito

rin

g t

o b

e av

aila

ble

in

ev

ery

ju

dic

ial

circ

uit

. M

on

ito

rin

g w

ill

req

uir

e ad

dit

ion

al r

eso

urc

es i

n o

rder

to

ad

equ

atel

y o

ver

see

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es.

Th

e co

st o

f m

on

ito

rin

g c

an b

em

itig

ated

th

rou

gh

th

e ef

fect

ive

use

of

tech

no

log

y.

�E

xist

ing

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

gra

ms

that

uti

lize

wel

l-tr

ain

ed a

nd

exp

erie

nce

d p

rofe

ssio

nal

sta

ff a

re w

ork

ing

wel

l.�

Mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

gra

ms

that

rel

y e

nti

rely

up

on

vo

lun

teer

s ar

e n

ot

alw

ays

effi

cien

t an

d e

ffec

tiv

e.

Alt

ho

ug

h w

ell

inte

nti

on

ed,

vo

lun

teer

s o

ften

lac

k k

no

wle

dg

e an

d e

xp

erie

nce

wit

h t

he

com

ple

x m

edic

al,

leg

al,

and

fin

anci

alis

sues

in

vo

lved

in

ad

ult

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es.

�T

her

e is

a n

eed

fo

r st

atew

ide

equ

ity

in r

egar

d t

o c

om

pen

sati

on

of

atto

rney

s an

d g

uar

dia

ns.

Ad

dit

ion

ally

, gu

ard

-ia

n a

nd

att

orn

ey f

ees

sho

uld

be

pai

d i

n a

tim

ely

man

ner

.�

Th

ere

is a

nee

d t

o r

ecru

it h

igh

ly q

ual

ifie

d, m

oti

vat

ed, a

nd

tra

ined

pro

fess

ion

als

into

th

e g

uar

dia

nsh

ip f

ield

– b

oth

as g

uar

dia

ns

and

att

orn

eys.

�Ju

dg

es w

ou

ld b

enef

it f

rom

ad

dit

ion

al t

rain

ing

on

eld

er, d

isab

ilit

y, a

bu

se a

nd

neg

lect

, an

d g

uar

dia

nsh

ip i

ssu

es.

4

Page 7

INT

RO

DU

CT

ION

A g

uar

dia

n i

s a

surr

og

ate

dec

isio

n-m

aker

ap

po

inte

d b

y t

he

cou

rt t

o m

ake

eith

er p

erso

nal

an

d/

or

fin

anci

al d

ecis

ion

s fo

r a

min

or

or

for

an a

du

lt w

ith

men

tal

or

ph

ysi

cal

dis

abil

itie

s.

Aft

er a

dju

dic

atio

n,

the

sub

ject

of

the

gu

ard

ian

ship

is

term

ed a

“war

d.”

Flo

rid

a la

w r

equ

ires

th

e co

urt

to

ap

po

int

a g

uar

dia

n f

or

min

ors

in

cir

cum

stan

ces

wh

ere

the

par

ents

die

or

bec

om

e in

cap

aci-

tate

d, o

r if

a c

hil

d r

ecei

ves

an

inh

erit

ance

or

pro

ceed

s o

f a

law

suit

or

insu

ran

ce p

oli

cy e

xce

edin

g t

he

amo

un

t al

low

ed b

y s

tatu

te.

Ad

ult

gu

ard

ian

ship

is t

he

pro

cess

by

wh

ich

th

e co

urt

fin

ds

an in

div

idu

al’s

ab

ilit

y t

o m

ake

dec

isio

ns

so im

pai

red

th

at t

he

cou

rtg

ives

th

e ri

gh

t to

mak

e d

ecis

ion

s to

an

oth

er p

erso

n.

Gu

ard

ian

ship

is o

nly

war

ran

ted

wh

en n

o le

ss r

estr

icti

ve

alte

rnat

ive

– su

chas

du

rab

le p

ow

er o

f at

torn

ey, t

rust

, hea

lth

car

e su

rro

gat

e o

r p

rox

y, o

r o

ther

fo

rm o

f p

re-n

eed

dir

ecti

ve

– is

fo

un

d b

y t

he

cou

rt t

ob

e ap

pro

pri

ate

and

av

aila

ble

.

Flo

rid

a la

w a

llo

ws

bo

th v

olu

nta

ry a

nd

in

vo

lun

tary

gu

ard

ian

ship

s. A

vo

lun

tary

gu

ard

ian

ship

may

be

esta

bli

shed

fo

r an

ad

ult

wh

o, t

ho

ug

h m

enta

lly

co

mp

eten

t, is

inca

pab

le o

f m

anag

ing

his

or

her

ow

n e

stat

e an

d w

ho

vo

lun

tari

ly p

etit

ion

s fo

r th

e ap

po

int-

men

t.

Leg

isla

tiv

e in

ten

t es

tab

lish

es t

hat

th

e le

ast

rest

rict

ive

form

of

gu

ard

ian

ship

is d

esir

able

. A

cco

rdin

gly

, Flo

rid

a la

w p

rov

ides

fo

rli

mit

ed a

s w

ell

as p

len

ary

ad

ult

gu

ard

ian

ship

. A

lim

ited

gu

ard

ian

ship

is

app

rop

riat

e if

th

e co

urt

fin

ds

the

war

d l

ack

s th

eca

pac

ity

to

do

so

me,

bu

t n

ot

all,

of

the

task

s n

eces

sary

to

car

e fo

r h

is o

r h

er p

erso

n o

r p

rop

erty

; an

d i

f th

e in

div

idu

al d

oes

no

th

ave

pre

-pla

nn

ed, w

ritt

en i

nst

ruct

ion

s fo

r al

l as

pec

ts o

f h

is o

r h

er l

ife.

A p

len

ary

gu

ard

ian

is

a p

erso

n a

pp

oin

ted

by

th

e co

urt

to e

xer

cise

all

del

egab

le l

egal

rig

hts

an

d p

ow

ers

of

the

adu

lt w

ard

aft

er t

he

cou

rt m

akes

a f

ind

ing

of

inca

pac

ity

. W

ard

s in

ple

nar

y g

uar

dia

nsh

ips

are,

by

def

init

ion

, un

able

to

car

e fo

r th

emse

lves

.

Wh

eth

er o

ne

is d

eali

ng

wit

h a

min

or

wh

ose

ass

ets

mu

st b

e m

anag

ed b

y a

no

ther

or

an

ad

ult

wit

h a

dis

abil

ity

wh

o is

no

t ca

pab

leo

f m

akin

g d

ecis

ion

s fo

r h

im/

her

self

, wh

en t

he

cou

rt r

emo

ves

an

in

div

idu

al’s

rig

hts

to

ord

er h

is o

r h

er o

wn

aff

airs

th

ere

is a

nac

com

pan

yin

g d

uty

to

pro

tect

th

e in

div

idu

al.

On

e o

f th

e co

urt

’s d

uti

es i

s to

ap

po

int

a g

uar

dia

n.

All

ad

ult

an

d m

ino

rg

uar

dia

nsh

ips

are

sub

ject

to

co

urt

ov

ersi

gh

t.

Th

e le

gal

au

tho

rity

fo

r g

uar

dia

nsh

ip i

n F

lori

da

is f

ou

nd

in

Ch

apte

r 74

4, F

lori

da

Sta

tute

s.

Th

e co

urt

ru

les

that

co

ntr

ol

the

rela

tio

nsh

ips

amo

ng

th

e co

urt

, th

e w

ard

, th

e g

uar

dia

n,

and

th

e at

torn

ey a

re f

ou

nd

in

Par

t II

I, P

rob

ate

Ru

les,

Flo

rid

a R

ule

s o

fC

ou

rt.

To

get

her

, th

ese

stat

ute

s an

d r

ule

s d

escr

ibe

the

du

ties

an

d o

bli

gat

ion

s o

f g

uar

dia

ns

and

att

orn

eys,

as

wel

l as

th

e co

urt

,to

en

sure

th

at t

hey

act

in

th

e b

est

inte

rest

s o

f th

e w

ard

, min

or,

or

per

son

wh

o i

s al

leg

ed i

nca

pac

itat

ed.

In r

eco

gn

itio

n o

f th

e co

urt

sy

stem

’s r

esp

on

sib

ilit

y t

o o

ver

see

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es a

nd

th

ereb

y e

nsu

re t

hat

war

ds

are

adeq

uat

ely

pro

tect

ed, b

y a

dm

inis

trat

ive

ord

er d

ated

Sep

tem

ber

1, 1

999,

fo

rmer

Ch

ief

Just

ice

Maj

or

B. H

ard

ing

dir

ecte

d t

he

Su

pre

me

Co

urt

Co

mm

issi

on

on

Fai

rnes

s to

“in

ves

tig

ate

and

rep

ort

on

var

iou

s m

od

els

for

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

.” T

he

Co

mm

issi

on

est

ab-

lish

ed t

he

Gu

ard

ian

ship

Mo

nit

ori

ng

Co

mm

itte

e an

d c

har

ged

it

wit

h f

ulf

illi

ng

th

is d

irec

tiv

e.

5

Page 8

Co

mm

itte

e m

emb

ersh

ip in

clu

ded

pro

bat

e ju

dg

es, c

hie

f ju

dg

es, c

ou

rt s

taff

, rep

rese

nta

tiv

es o

f th

e S

tate

wid

e P

ub

lic

Gu

ard

ian

-sh

ip O

ffic

e, a

tto

rney

s w

ith

ex

per

ien

ce i

n g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

atte

rs,

acad

emic

s, a

nd

pro

fess

ion

als

in t

he

fiel

d o

f so

cial

wo

rk.

In

add

itio

n t

o r

ely

ing

on

th

eir

con

sid

erab

le d

irec

t ex

per

ien

ce,

the

Co

mm

itte

e re

vie

wed

av

aila

ble

lit

erat

ure

on

th

e su

bje

ct,

vis

-it

ed F

lori

da

cou

rts

that

are

ex

per

imen

tin

g w

ith

in

no

vat

ive

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

met

ho

ds,

an

d c

on

du

cted

pu

bli

c h

ear-

ing

s ar

ou

nd

th

e st

ate

to r

ecei

ve

inp

ut

fro

m g

uar

dia

ns,

cle

rks

of

cou

rt, a

tto

rney

s, a

dv

oca

tes,

an

d o

ther

in

tere

sted

per

son

s.

Th

e C

om

mit

tee

fou

nd

th

at w

hil

e m

ost

gu

ard

ian

s an

d a

tto

rney

s d

o a

n a

dm

irab

le j

ob

, m

ore

act

ive

ov

ersi

gh

t is

nec

essa

ry i

ng

uar

dia

nsh

ip c

ases

. W

hil

e it

is b

eyo

nd

dis

pu

te t

hat

co

urt

-ap

po

inte

d g

uar

dia

ns

sho

uld

be

sup

erv

ised

by

th

e co

urt

, it

sho

uld

also

be

rem

emb

ered

th

at t

he

vas

t m

ajo

rity

of

gu

ard

ian

s ar

e fa

mil

y m

emb

ers

wh

o a

re p

erfo

rmin

g d

iffi

cult

, un

pai

d, a

nd

th

ank

-le

ss w

ork

, so

lely

fro

m a

sen

se o

f fa

mil

ial

dev

oti

on

an

d d

uty

. T

he

Co

mm

itte

e al

so f

ou

nd

th

at a

n o

ver

wh

elm

ing

maj

ori

ty o

fp

rofe

ssio

nal

gu

ard

ian

s ar

e d

edic

ated

an

d c

apab

le s

erv

ice

pro

vid

ers.

Th

e em

oti

on

al a

nd

fin

anci

al c

om

ple

xit

y i

nh

eren

t in

fam

ily

gu

ard

ian

ship

sit

uat

ion

s m

ay b

e co

mp

ou

nd

ed b

y t

he

fact

th

at t

he

fam

ily

has

rec

entl

y s

uff

ered

a t

rag

edy

res

ult

ing

in t

he

nee

d f

or

a g

uar

dia

nsh

ip.

A f

amil

y m

emb

er g

uar

dia

n is

req

uir

ed t

o h

ire

an a

tto

rney

, pro

vid

e d

etai

led

per

son

al in

form

atio

n, u

nd

erg

o a

cre

dit

ch

eck

, po

st a

fid

uci

ary

’s b

on

d, a

tten

d a

n 8

-ho

ur

trai

nin

gco

urs

e, a

nd

fil

e d

etai

led

in

itia

l an

d a

nn

ual

per

son

al a

nd

fin

anci

al r

epo

rts.

Oft

en, a

n e

lder

ly w

ife

can

no

t sp

end

her

hu

sban

d’s

sh

are

of

thei

r m

on

ey o

n h

om

e re

pai

rs, b

irth

day

pre

sen

ts, o

r ta

x-p

rep

arer

fees

wit

ho

ut

firs

t fi

lin

g a

wri

tten

req

ues

t w

ith

th

e co

urt

, w

hic

h p

etit

ion

may

or

may

no

t b

e g

ran

ted

. I

n t

he

case

of

a m

ino

rg

uar

dia

nsh

ip,

a p

aren

t ca

nn

ot

use

th

e ch

ild

’s m

on

ey t

o b

uy

bra

ces,

ch

eerl

ead

ing

clo

thes

, b

ask

etb

all

sho

es,

or

a p

rep

aid

coll

ege

pla

n w

ith

ou

t d

oin

g t

he

sam

e. A

cco

rdin

gly

, gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

sh

ou

ld b

e co

nd

uct

ed i

n t

he

leas

t b

urd

enso

me

and

dis

rup

tiv

e m

ann

er p

oss

ible

th

at e

ffec

tiv

ely

acc

om

pli

shes

th

e g

oal

of

pro

tect

ing

war

ds

and

mai

nta

inin

g t

hei

r p

re-g

uar

d-

ian

ship

lif

esty

le.

Th

e C

om

mit

tee

fou

nd

th

at it

is s

ou

nd

pu

bli

c p

oli

cy f

or

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

gra

ms

to b

e ad

equ

atel

y f

un

ded

in e

ver

yju

dic

ial

circ

uit

, eit

her

by

th

e S

tate

of

Flo

rid

a o

r b

y l

oca

l g

ov

ern

men

t. R

egre

ttab

ly, g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

on

ito

rin

g r

eso

urc

es a

re, a

tb

est,

mar

gin

ally

fu

nd

ed i

n t

his

Sta

te.

On

ly t

hre

e ci

rcu

its

ou

t o

f tw

enty

–

the

Six

th,

Th

irte

enth

, an

d S

even

teen

th –

hav

e th

ead

van

tag

e o

f fu

ll-t

ime

pro

fess

ion

al s

taff

fo

r th

is p

urp

ose

, an

d o

nly

on

e o

f th

ose

pro

gra

ms

– th

e S

even

teen

th –

is

par

tial

lyfu

nd

ed b

y t

he

Sta

te.

Th

e C

om

mit

tee

reco

mm

end

s th

at w

her

e th

e ca

selo

ad w

arra

nts

, ded

icat

ed p

rofe

ssio

nal

sta

ff s

ho

uld

be

auth

ori

zed

. I

n t

ho

se c

ircu

its

wh

ose

cas

elo

ads

do

no

t w

arra

nt

full

-tim

e d

edic

ated

sta

ff,

the

cou

rt s

ho

uld

be

pro

vid

ed w

ith

acce

ss t

o t

rain

ed a

nd

ex

per

ien

ced

mo

nit

ors

up

on

req

ues

t.

Th

is r

epo

rt d

ocu

men

ts w

hat

th

e C

om

mit

tee

lear

ned

du

rin

g t

he

cou

rse

of

its

rev

iew

, an

d d

escr

ibes

th

e el

emen

ts o

f an

id

eal

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

gra

m.

6

Page 9

CO

MM

ITT

EE

PR

OC

ES

S

Th

e C

om

mit

tee

was

co

mp

rise

d o

f p

rob

ate

jud

ges

, ch

ief

jud

ges

, co

urt

sta

ff, r

epre

sen

tati

ves

of

the

Sta

tew

ide

Pu

bli

c G

uar

dia

nsh

ipO

ffic

e, a

tto

rney

s w

ith

ex

per

ien

ce i

n g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

atte

rs, a

cad

emic

s, a

nd

pro

fess

ion

als

in t

he

fiel

d o

f so

cial

wo

rk.

Th

e C

om

mit

tee

com

men

ced

its

ex

amin

atio

n w

ith

a l

iter

atu

re r

evie

w,

foll

ow

ed i

n A

pri

l 20

00 w

ith

a t

wo

-day

wo

rksh

op

in

Ft.

Lau

der

dal

e.

Du

rin

g t

he

wo

rksh

op

, th

e C

om

mit

tee

dev

elo

ped

a m

issi

on

sta

tem

ent

for

gu

ard

ian

ship

mo

nit

ori

ng

, b

egan

to

de-

scri

be

the

mo

nit

ori

ng

pro

cess

, an

d i

den

tifi

ed a

pre

lim

inar

y l

ist

of

issu

es t

o s

tud

y.

Pre

sen

tati

on

s w

ere

rece

ived

fro

m c

ircu

its

that

are

im

ple

men

tin

g i

nn

ov

ativ

e ap

pro

ach

es t

o g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

on

ito

rin

g, i

ncl

ud

ing

av

isit

to

th

e T

hir

teen

th J

ud

icia

l C

ircu

it’s

Eld

er J

ust

ice

Cen

ter

and

a p

rese

nta

tio

n o

n g

uar

dia

nsh

ip i

nit

iati

ves

in

th

e S

even

teen

thJu

dic

ial

Cir

cuit

. T

wo

su

rvey

s w

ere

con

du

cted

in

ord

er t

o o

bta

in i

nfo

rmat

ion

ab

ou

t g

uar

dia

nsh

ip m

on

ito

rin

g p

ract

ices

in

th

etw

enty

jud

icia

l ci

rcu

its.

In t

he

fall

of

2000

, th

e C

om

mit

tee

ho

sted

th

ree

pu

bli

c h

eari

ng

s –

in F

t. L

aud

erd

ale,

Tal

lah

asse

e, a

nd

St.

Pet

ersb

urg

– t

o g

ath

erte

stim

on

y f

rom

att

orn

eys,

jud

ges

, pro

fess

ion

al a

nd

fam

ily

gu

ard

ian

s, c

lerk

s o

f co

urt

, fam

ily

mem

ber

s, a

dv

oca

tes,

an

d o

ther

inte

r-es

ted

ind

ivid

ual

s. A

dd

itio

nal

ou

trea

ch in

clu

ded

po

stin

g in

form

atio

n a

bo

ut

the

Co

mm

itte

e’s

wo

rk o

n t

he

Flo

rid

a C

ou

rts

Web

site

(ww

w.f

lco

urt

s.o

rg)

and

pu

bli

shin

g a

rtic

les

in p

rofe

ssio

nal

new

slet

ters

.

Th

e co

mm

itte

e m

et f

ou

r ad

dit

ion

al t

imes

in

per

son

an

d m

ult

iple

tim

es b

y t

elep

ho

ne

con

fere

nce

cal

l, t

o d

iscu

ss w

hat

it

had

lear

ned

an

d t

o d

evel

op

th

is r

epo

rt.

7

Page 10

Flo

rid

a co

urt

s ar

e fa

cin

g a

gro

win

g n

um

ber

of

gu

ard

ian

ship

cas

es a

nd

iss

ues

. W

hil

eth

ere

are

curr

entl

y n

o a

ccu

rate

sta

tew

ide

stat

isti

cs o

n t

he

nu

mb

er o

f o

pen

gu

ard

ian

-sh

ip c

ases

, res

po

nse

s to

su

rvey

s b

y t

he

Gu

ard

ian

ship

Mo

nit

ori

ng

Co

mm

itte

e in

dic

ate

ther

e ar

e in

th

e ra

ng

e o

f 30

,000

-40,

000

op

en g

uar

dia

nsh

ips

in F

lori

da

at a

ny

giv

enti

me.

In

199

6, t

her

e w

ere

mo

re t

han

49,

0001

ju

dic

ial

rev

iew

s o

f g

uar

dia

nsh

ip i

ssu

es,

inv

olv

ing

eit

her

a re

vie

w o

f an

an

nu

al p

lan

or

som

e o

ther

co

urt

act

ion

. T

his

nu

mb

erg

rew

to

wel

l o

ver

63,

000

in 2

000,

wh

ich

rep

rese

nts

a 2

8% i

ncr

ease

wit

hin

fiv

e y

ears

.

Fu

rth

erm

ore

, th

ese

fig

ure

s re

pre

sen

t o

nly

th

e p

erso

ns

for

wh

om

a f

orm

al g

uar

dia

n-

ship

has

bee

n s

ou

gh

t. T

her

e ar

e m

any

oth

er p

erso

ns

wh

o d

o n

ot

req

uir

e a

gu

ard

ian

-sh

ip b

ecau

se t

hey

ob

tain

ed p

ow

ers

of

atto

rney

, h

ealt

h c

are

dir

ecti

ves

, o

r o

ther

pre

-p

lan

ned

do

cum

ents

in

ad

van

ce o

f in

cap

acit

y.

Un

fort

un

atel

y,

ther

e ar

e th

ou

san

ds

of

inca

pac

itat

ed a

du

lt F

lori

dia

ns

wh

o m

ay r

equ

ire

a g

uar

dia

n, b

ut

wh

ose

nee

ds

rem

ain

un

det

ecte

d a

nd

un

met

. T

he

Sta

tew

ide

Pu

bli

c G

uar

dia

nsh

ip O

ffic

e es

tim

ates

the

un

met

nee

d t

o e

xce

ed 2

2,50

0 in

cap

acit

ated

per

son

s st

atew

ide.

Mo

st o

f th

ese

ind

ivid

ual

s ar

ein

dig

ent

and

wo

uld

be

elig

ible

fo

r p

ub

lic

gu

ard

ian

ship

ser

vic

es.

Ho

wev

er, F

lori

da’

sp

ub

lic

gu

ard

ian

ship

pro

gra

m i

s w

oef

ull

y u

nd

erfu

nd

ed.

Th

e S

tate

cu

rren

tly

fu

nd

so

nly

th

ree

pro

gra

ms,

in

Leo

n,

Bro

war

d,

and

Hil

lsb

oro

ug

h c

ou

nti

es.

Ad

dit

ion

ally

,th

ere

are

pu

bli

c g

uar

dia

nsh

ip p

rog

ram

s in

Mia

mi-

Dad

e, P

alm

Bea

ch, O

sceo

la, V

olu

sia,

Co

llie

r, a

nd

Lee

co

un

ties

th

at a

re f

un

ded

wit

h l

oca

l p

ub

lic

mo

ney

. T

he

tota

l p

ub

lic

gu

ard

ian

ship

cap

acit

y i

n F

lori

da

is c

urr

entl

y l

ess

than

1,7

50.

All

ex

isti

ng

pro

gra

ms

are

fill

ed t

o c

apac

ity

an

d c

ann

ot

acce

pt

add

itio

nal

war

ds.

T

he

Dep

artm

ent

of

Ch

il-

dre

n a

nd

Fam

ilie

s h

as e

xp

ress

ed t

he

imm

edia

te n

eed

fo

r a

pu

bli

c g

uar

dia

n t

o b

e ap

-p

oin

ted

to

rep

rese

nt

2,49

5 in

div

idu

als

wit

h d

evel

op

men

tal

dis

abil

itie

s w

ho

are

co

min

g t

o t

he

age

of

maj

ori

ty.

Th

e re

mai

nin

g in

cap

acit

ated

ad

ult

s w

ho

hav

e n

ot

bee

n b

rou

gh

t to

th

e co

urt

’s a

tten

tio

n a

nd

fo

r w

ho

m n

o g

uar

dia

nsh

ip s

erv

ices

exis

t, m

ay b

e la

ng

uis

hin

g w

ith

ou

t ap

pro

pri

ate

ph

ysi

cal

and

/o

r m

enta

l ca

re a

nd

th

eir

mea

ger

fin

ance

s m

ay b

e su

scep

tib

le t

ou

nsc

rup

ulo

us

per

son

s.

As

Joh

n G

ran

t, f

orm

er e

xec

uti

ve

dir

ecto

r o

f th

e S

tate

wid

e O

ffic

e o

f th

e P

ub

lic

Gu

ard

ian

sta

ted

in

aO

cto

ber

16,

200

0, l

ette

r to

fo

rmer

Ch

ief

Just

ice

Ch

arle

s W

ells

:

1P

er S

um

mar

y R

eport

ing S

yst

em (

SR

S)

dat

a fr

om

the

Off

ice

of

the

Sta

te C

ourt

s A

dm

inis

trat

or,

run o

n S

epte

mber

6,

2001.

Ple

ase

note

that

SR

S d

ata

are

use

d a

s a

bas

e fo

r w

ork

load

mea

sure

s fo

r ju

dges

. T

hes

e dat

a ar

e bas

ed o

n i

nfo

rmat

ion r

ecei

ved

fro

m t

he

Cle

rks

of

Court

.

GR

OW

ING

NE

ED

FO

R G

UA

RD

IAN

SH

IP I

N F

LO

RID

A

8

Sce

na

rio

: A

n e

lde

rly

wif

e h

as

care

d f

or

he

r h

usb

an

d w

ith

Alz

he

ime

r’s

dis

ea

se i

n t

he

irh

om

e a

s lo

ng

as

po

ssib

le,

bu

th

er

ow

n h

ea

lth

an

d f

un

ds

are

be

ing

de

ple

ted

. T

he

pa

rtie

s,

no

t acc

ust

om

ed

to

ob

tain

ing

le-

gal

ser

vic

es, n

egle

cted

to

ob

tain

Po

wers

of

Att

orn

ey

in

ad

van

ce.

Th

e w

ife i

s n

ow

fo

rced

in

to t

he

situ

ati

on

of

pla

cin

g h

er

hu

s-

ba

nd

in

a n

urs

ing

ho

me

, o

b-

tain

ing

gu

ard

ian

ship

, an

d s

ell

-in

g s

om

e j

oin

t ass

ets

to

pay

th

eb

ills

. T

he

pa

rtie

s h

av

e b

ee

nm

arr

ied

fo

r 47 y

ears

an

d m

ean

t

it w

hen

th

ey s

aid

“u

nti

l d

eath

do

us

pa

rt.”

Page 11

Th

ose

to

be

serv

ed b

y a

pu

bli

c g

uar

dia

nsh

ip p

rog

ram

are

so

me

of

Flo

rid

a’s

mo

st s

ilen

t ci

tize

ns.

T

hey

do

n’t

hav

e as

sets

, th

ey d

on

’t v

ote

, an

d t

hey

are

eas

ily

fo

rgo

tten

. B

ut

they

are

hu

man

bei

ng

s, m

any

of

wh

om

hav

e li

ved

ex

emp

lary

liv

es, p

ayin

g t

hei

r ta

xes

, ed

uca

tin

g t

hei

r ch

ild

ren

, ser

vin

g t

hei

r co

mm

un

ity

,an

d w

ho

no

w f

ind

th

emse

lves

in

th

e su

nse

t y

ears

of

life

wit

h n

eith

er f

amil

y n

or

asse

ts t

o m

anag

e fo

rth

emse

lves

.

Giv

en t

he

dem

og

rap

hic

s o

f th

e N

atio

n a

nd

Sta

te, t

he

tren

d t

ow

ard

gro

wth

in

th

e n

um

ber

of

inca

pac

itat

ed p

erso

ns

– an

d a

cco

m-

pan

yin

g g

uar

dia

nsh

ips

– is

cer

tain

to

co

nti

nu

e.

Th

e in

cap

acit

ated

po

pu

lati

on

of

tom

orr

ow

wil

l h

ave

dif

fere

nt

soci

al,

dem

o-

gra

ph

ic, h

ealt

h, a

nd

eco

no

mic

ch

arac

teri

stic

s th

an t

hat

of

tod

ay.

Acc

ord

ing

to

rep

ort

s b

y t

he

Un

ited

Sta

tes

Cen

sus

Bu

reau

2 a

nd

oth

er s

ou

rces

:

•T

he

po

pu

lati

on

of

ou

r S

tate

an

d N

atio

n i

s ag

ing

at

an u

nb

elie

vab

le a

nd

un

pre

ced

ente

d r

ate.

-D

uri

ng

th

e T

wen

tiet

h C

entu

ry, t

he

life

span

of

the

aver

age

Am

eric

an n

earl

y d

ou

ble

d.3

-O

ver

2.7

mil

lio

n F

lori

dia

ns,

or

18.3

%, a

re 6

5 y

ears

an

d o

ver

, co

mp

ared

to

th

e n

atio

nal

av

erag

e o

f 12

.7%

. In

fac

t, t

his

Sta

te h

as t

he

gre

ates

t p

rop

ort

ion

of

resi

den

ts o

ver

65,

an

d n

earl

y 8

% o

f al

l A

mer

ican

s o

ver

th

e ag

e o

f 65

liv

e in

Flo

rid

a.

-T

he

“old

est

old

” –

tho

se a

ged

85

and

ov

er –

are

th

e m

ost

rap

idly

gro

win

g e

lder

ly a

ge

gro

up

. M

ore

th

an 3

10,0

00F

lori

dia

ns,

or

2.1%

, are

85

yea

rs a

nd

ov

er, c

om

par

ed t

o t

he

nat

ion

al a

ver

age

of

1.5%

.

-B

etw

een

201

0 an

d 2

030,

th

e o

ver

65

po

pu

lati

on

wil

l ri

se o

ver

70

per

cen

t.4

•T

he

eld

erly

in

ou

r co

un

try

are

bec

om

ing

mo

re r

acia

lly

an

d e

thn

ical

ly d

iver

se.

-In

199

4, 1

0% o

f th

e el

der

ly w

ere

a ra

ce o

ther

th

an W

hit

e. B

y 2

050,

th

is p

rop

ort

ion

is e

xp

ecte

d t

o r

ise

to a

t le

ast

20%

.S

imil

arly

, th

e p

rop

ort

ion

of

eld

erly

wh

o a

re H

isp

anic

is

exp

ecte

d t

o c

lim

b f

rom

4%

to

16%

ov

er t

he

sam

e p

erio

d.

-In

199

0, 1

2% o

f al

l el

der

ly p

erso

ns

in t

he

Un

ited

Sta

tes

spo

ke

som

e la

ng

uag

e o

ther

th

an E

ng

lish

at

ho

me.

2 U

nle

ss o

ther

wis

e in

dic

ated

, th

e fo

llow

ing e

lder

dat

a, s

tati

stic

s, a

nd t

rends

are

dra

wn f

rom

the

Unit

ed S

tate

s C

ensu

s B

ure

au’s

Sta

tist

ical

Bri

ef S

ixty

-Fiv

e

Plu

s in

the

U.S

. an

d 1

997 C

urr

ent

Popula

tion R

eport

by J

ack M

cNei

l, A

mer

ican

s w

ith D

isab

ilit

ies

House

hold

Eco

nom

ic S

tudie

s, i

ssued

Feb

ruar

y 2

001.

See

U.S

. C

ensu

s B

ure

au d

ata

at w

ww

.cen

sus.

go

v/p

op

ula

tio

n/e

stim

ate

s/st

ate

/st9

8eld

erl

y.t

xt

3M

enta

l H

ealt

h:

A R

eport

of

the

Surg

eon G

ener

al,

ww

w.s

urg

eo

ng

en

era

l.g

ov

/lib

rary

/men

talh

ealt

h/h

om

e.h

tml

4P

oli

cy C

hal

lenges

Pose

d b

y t

he

Agin

g o

f A

mer

ica,

May

1998,

Urb

an I

nst

itute

Boar

d o

f T

rust

ees

Mee

ting;

see

ww

w.u

rban

.org

/healt

h/o

ldp

ol.

htm

l.

9

Page 12

•O

ur

eld

ers

are

bec

om

ing

mo

re i

sola

ted

fro

m t

hei

r fa

mil

ies.

-M

ost

eld

ers

liv

e al

on

e.

-N

atio

nal

ly,

eld

ers

no

t li

vin

g w

ith

rel

ativ

es o

r li

vin

g a

lon

e w

ere

mo

re l

ikel

y t

o b

e p

oo

r (2

5%)

in 1

992,

th

an e

lder

sw

ho

are

liv

ing

in

a f

amil

ial-

typ

e re

lati

on

ship

(6%

).

-E

lder

ly p

aren

ts l

ivin

g a

par

t fr

om

th

eir

chil

dre

n a

re m

ore

lik

ely

to

use

so

cial

ser

vic

es t

han

eld

erly

par

ents

res

idin

gw

ith

th

eir

chil

dre

n.5

-E

lder

ly w

om

en o

utn

um

ber

eld

erly

men

, an

d a

re l

ess

lik

ely

th

an m

en t

o l

ive

in a

fam

ily

set

tin

g.

Aft

er a

ge

75, m

ost

wo

men

are

wid

ow

ed a

nd

liv

e al

on

e, w

hil

e m

ost

men

are

mar

ried

an

d l

ive

wit

h t

hei

r w

ives

. T

hu

s, w

hil

e m

ost

eld

erly

men

hav

e a

spo

use

fo

r as

sist

ance

, esp

ecia

lly

wh

en h

ealt

h f

ails

, mo

st e

lder

ly w

om

en d

o n

ot.

In

199

3, 8

in 1

0n

on

inst

itu

tio

nal

ized

eld

erly

wh

o l

ived

alo

ne

wer

e w

om

en.

-T

he

lik

elih

oo

d o

f li

vin

g i

n a

nu

rsin

g h

om

e in

crea

ses

wit

h a

ge.

In

199

0, o

ver

73,

000

Flo

rid

ian

s re

sid

ed i

n n

urs

ing

ho

mes

. N

inet

y p

erce

nt

of

all

nu

rsin

g h

om

e re

sid

ents

are

eld

erly

; 7 i

n 1

0 ar

e fe

mal

e, a

nd

1 i

n 3

is

a w

om

an a

ged

85

or

ov

er.

•A

s th

e p

op

ula

tio

n a

ges

, mo

re p

eop

le w

ill f

ace

bec

om

ing

dep

end

ent

on

oth

ers

for

hel

p in

per

form

ing

th

e ac

tiv

itie

s o

f d

aily

liv

ing

-T

he

lik

elih

oo

d o

f h

avin

g a

dis

abil

ity

in

crea

ses

wit

h a

ge.

In

199

7, a

mo

ng

th

ose

65

to 6

9 y

ears

old

, 44

.9%

ad

so

me

form

of

dis

abil

ity

, 30.

7% h

ad a

sev

ere

dis

abil

ity

, an

d 8

.1%

nee

ded

per

son

al a

ssis

tan

ce.

Fo

r th

ose

80

yea

rs o

ld a

nd

ov

er, 7

3.6%

had

so

me

form

of

dis

abil

ity

, 57.

6% h

ad a

sev

ere

dis

abil

ity

, an

d 3

4.9%

nee

ded

per

son

al a

ssis

tan

ce.

-In

199

0, e

lder

ly p

erso

ns

wit

h a

sel

f-ca

re o

r m

ob

ilit

y l

imit

atio

n w

ere

mo

re l

ikel

y t

o b

e p

oo

r (2

0%)

than

eld

erly

per

son

s w

ith

ou

t su

ch l

imit

atio

ns

(11%

).

-T

he

rate

of

fun

ctio

nal

lim

itat

ion

is

hig

her

am

on

g e

lder

ly B

lack

s th

an W

hit

es.

Am

on

g t

he

po

pu

lati

on

65

yea

rs a

nd

ov

er,

59%

of

Bla

cks

had

on

e o

r m

ore

fu

nct

ion

al l

imit

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ns

com

par

ed w

ith

49%

of

Wh

ites

. T

he

lim

itat

ion

s w

ere

mo

re l

ikel

y t

o b

e se

ver

e am

on

g e

lder

ly B

lack

s, a

s 40

% h

ad l

imit

atio

ns

that

wer

e se

ver

e co

mp

ared

wit

h 2

7% o

fW

hit

e el

der

ly.6

-O

ver

all,

in

199

7 w

om

en m

ade

up

th

e m

ajo

rity

of

the

ind

ivid

ual

s w

ith

dis

abil

itie

s, i

ncl

ud

ing

sev

ere

dis

abil

itie

s,an

d t

ho

se n

eed

ing

per

son

al a

ssis

tan

ce.

5N

amk

ee G

. Ch

oi,

“P

atte

rns

and

Det

erm

inan

ts o

f S

oci

al S

erv

ice

Uti

liza

tio

n:

Co

mp

aris

on

of

the

Ch

ild

less

Eld

erly

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d E

lder

ly P

aren

tsL

ivin

g W

ith

or

Ap

art

fro

m T

hei

r C

hil

dre

n,”

T

he

Ger

on

tolo

gis

t, V

ol.

34,

No

. 3,

199

4, p

p.

353-

362.

6U

nit

ed S

tate

s C

ensu

s B

ure

au’s

Sta

tist

ical

Bri

ef S

ixty

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lus

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he

U.S

. an

d 1

997

Cu

rren

t P

op

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n R

epo

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y J

ack

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eil,

Am

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ans

wit

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isab

ilit

ies

Ho

use

ho

ld E

con

om

ic S

tud

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iss

ued

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ruar

y 2

001;

see

ww

w.c

ensu

s.g

ov

/p

op

ula

tio

n/

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mat

es/

stat

e/st

98el

der

ly.t

xt

10

Page 13

Ad

dit

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ally

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ult

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cap

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en

sure

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f in

div

idu

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h d

evel

op

men

tal

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abil

itie

sw

ho

hav

e re

ach

ed t

he

age

of

maj

ori

ty.

Men

tal d

iso

rder

s m

ay a

lso

req

uir

e th

e ap

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ent

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As

stat

ed in

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ecen

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he

Un

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tes

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rgeo

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ener

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men

tal

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imp

ort

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con

cern

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all

ag

es.7

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om

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lust

rati

ve

fact

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llo

w:

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earl

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mil

lio

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eop

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r al

mo

st 2

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e ci

vil

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nin

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Flo

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and

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dis

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s:

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dev

elo

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maj

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enta

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ore

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, an

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e d

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lin

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nd

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tell

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atu

re.7

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pm

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even

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.10

•M

enta

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iso

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s:1

1

-M

enta

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iso

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e h

ealt

h c

on

dit

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s th

at a

re c

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acte

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y a

lter

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in t

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oo

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ehav

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asso

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enta

l H

ealt

h:

A R

epo

rt o

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e S

urg

eon

Gen

eral

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w.s

urg

eon

gen

eral

.go

v/

lib

rary

/m

enta

lhea

lth

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om

e.h

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8U

.S.

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reau

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lori

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enta

l D

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cil,

In

c., w

ww

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see

also

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apte

r 39

3, F

lori

da

Sta

tute

s.1

0C

DC

Nat

ion

al C

ente

r o

n B

irth

Def

ects

an

d D

evel

op

men

tal

Dis

abil

itie

s, w

ww

.cd

c.g

ov

/n

cbd

dd

/d

d/.

11M

enta

l H

ealt

h:

A R

epo

rt o

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e S

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eon

Gen

eral

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w.s

urg

eon

gen

eral

.go

v/

lib

rary

/m

enta

lhea

lth

/h

om

e.h

tml ;

see

also

Ch

apte

r 39

4, F

lori

da

Sta

tute

s.

11