The Gerontologist, Vol 35, Issue 2 248-257, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Rethinking alternatives to guardianship

KH Wilber and SL Reynolds
Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-0191, USA.

This article describes, compares, and analyzes the roles and functions of guardianship and several decision-making interventions previously identified as potential alternatives to guardianship. An analytical framework, comprised of capacity, risk, complexity, and support, is developed to assess performance expectations and identify limitations of four types of decision-making interventions. Using case examples to illustrate how the framework applies to practice, the capacity of different types of interventions to address needs and to substitute or divert older adults from guardianship is examined. The article concludes with propositions introduced to guide future research.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. B. Rosnick and S. L. Reynolds Thinking Ahead:: Factors Associated with Executing Advance Directives J Aging Health, May 1, 2003; 15(2): 409 - 429. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. L. Reynolds Protected or Neglected: An Examination of Negative Versus Compassionate Ageism in Public Conservatorship Research on Aging, March 1, 1997; 19(1): 3 - 25. [Abstract]