Formal Supports

There's a continuum of decision-making supports from less- to more-restrictive.

Informal Supports, like role-playing, making pros and cons lists, and getting advice from experts are on the least-restrictive end of that continuum. You still make the final decision!

Formal Supports like Chosen Representative and Power of Attorney involve you voluntarily giving someone else the right to make certain decisions for you, but you can still make changes to this agreement later on.

Guardianship happens when Probate Court appoints someone else to make decisions for you. The guardian should still include you in decision-making, but the Probate Court has the final say about things. Guardianship is on the more-restrictive end of the continuum.

We’re glad you asked, because there are a lot of them! Below are just a few examples. It’s really important to consider all less restrictive options before pursuing guardianship.

Payee

A person appointed to manage someone else’s benefits to meet their financial needs.

Trust Fund

Often for large amounts of money, it’s a way to protect and manage the person’s financial assets that involves someone else overseeing those assets. Trust funds can be set up in a way that allows a person to remain eligible for benefits.

Technology

Personal Home Assistants like Alexa, Apps on our phones to help us connect to others, remember important things or keep checklists, or find our way around, Online Videos to help us learn more about something or to learn how to do something.

Life Coaching

Help from an experienced person to learn, grow, and make progress towards specific goals.

HIPAA Release

A document that allows other people to know important health information about a person.

Protective Order

A court order to keep a person safe.

Informal Supports

Review our page on Informal Supports if you feel like some of these options are still too restrictive