Lauren is a 62-year-old woman who has a history of multiple strokes and was diagnosed with vascular dementia. She manages her severe mobility issues and short-term memory loss with the assistance of a court-appointed guardian, who was appointed after Lauren’s most recent stroke. Lauren contacted the Legal Clinic for the Disabled Inc. (LCD) nearly two years ago looking for assistance with housing issues and advanced planning documents.
At the time, Lauren did not have a guardian but did have medically determined losses in her cognitive abilities. Throughout Lauren’s relationship with LCD, Lauren’s attorneys have helped her balance her autonomy and independence with her intermittently limited competence to make legal decisions. After Lauren’s guardian was appointed, LCD attorneys were required to obtain approval from her guardian on all aspects of litigation while keeping Lauren equally informed about every legal proceeding and any changes in the status of her case.
