Taking care of mom or dad can become a pressing concern as a Colorado resident’s parent ages. It often begins with driving mom or dad to doctors’ appointments. Later, one realizes that the parent is no longer able to stay on top of bills and needs someone to step in to take care of this. There can even come a time when decisions need to be made regarding where mom or dad will live as he or she is no longer able to care for him or herself. If guardianship has been addressed prior to this time, this may be a simple process; however, if it has not, things may be more complicated.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and his family have recently made headlines in what appears to be a guardianship controversy. Fearing that their father is suffering from a declining mental state, Aldrin’s children filed court documents seeking guardianship of their father. As a part of their petition they pointed to what they appear to believe is his excessive spending habits averaging more than $70,000 per month.
In response, Aldrin has filed suit against his children and manager, claiming that they have not properly handled his affairs and are slandering him by claiming that he suffers from dementia. It appears that at the heart of the matter are children who are concerned about their father’s well-being and a father who is wants to maintain control over his own life and affairs. Health and legal experts have been called in to address the matter.
In a situation such as this one, someone looking in can assume that all parties have a similar goal. However, without an established guardianship, it may be difficult to address the situation without the involvement of a Colorado court. An experienced attorney can be essential in addressing concerns before they become a problem and/or navigating the situation once it appears.