Often, the term conservatorship is used interchangeably with the term guardianship. Guardianship refers to a person who is appointed by the court to make decisions about day-to-day life for the adult with an intellectual or developmental disorder (ID/DD), including decisions related to living arrangements, health care, and the coordination of basic needs. The term conservatorship, however, is often specifically used to refer to a legally assigned guardian over assets, such as an estate or financial investments (e.g., mutual funds, stocks, and bonds), for an adult with ID/DD when the adult with ID/DD is considered to be unable to care for his or her own assets. In some cases, conservatorship is defined as a specific type of guardianship.

This entry focuses exclusively on conservatorship as guardianship over ...