1. a legal arrangement in which a court appoints a person (conservator) to manage the financial and personal affairs of someone who is unable to do so themselves
Usage: common in legal and elder care contexts; the person under conservatorship is called a ward

Examples

• The court established a conservatorship for the elderly woman after she was diagnosed with dementia.
• Her son petitioned for conservatorship to manage her mother's medical and financial decisions.
• Under conservatorship, the appointed conservator must act in the best interest of the ward.
• The conservatorship agreement outlined the conservator's responsibilities and limitations.
• Many states have reformed conservatorship laws to protect the rights of vulnerable adults.
• A conservatorship may be temporary or permanent, depending on the circumstances.