Episode 7: Step by Step Guide for Legal Guardianship for Special Needs Adults and Tips for Caregivers

If your special needs child is getting close to 18 and you are trying to figure out guardianship, this episode is exactly what you need. Host Jenny Olson shares the real, step by step experience of going through the legal adult guardianship process with her husband for their son Ben, who has autism and an intellectual disability. This is not legal advice, but it is an honest, personal walkthrough of what the process actually looked like for their family here in Colorado, from finding a lawyer to the court hearing with the judge.

Jenny covers the difference between full guardianship and power of attorney, why her family chose full guardianship for Ben, and what that decision really means as a parent. She talks through the emotional side of it too, including the parental guilt that can come with watching your child turn 18 while knowing their path looks different from their peers.

On the practical side, Jenny walks you through the full Colorado guardianship process from start to finish. She covers how they found a special needs lawyer, what documents were required, what the court visitor home visit looked like, and what actually happened during the Zoom hearing with the judge. She also shares how they used funding through their local Developmental Pathways organization to help cover the cost of the lawyer, and what the ongoing yearly reporting requirement looks like after guardianship is granted.

Whether you are just starting to research guardianship for your special needs adult child or loved one, or you are already in the middle of the process, Jenny's experience will help you feel less alone and more prepared for what is ahead.

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