After spending decades at the helm of Warner Bros and Yahoo!, Terry Semel’s health declined with the onset of Alzheimer’s. Since that time, his current wife and one of the couple’s daughters have been in charge of making decisions regarding his health care in accordance with a California advance health care directive. It is a conservatorship over his finances that is currently causing issues between Semel’s wife and his only son.
Semel’s son filed papers with a California court that resulted in the appointment of a temporary conservatorship, which recently terminated. Semel’s son and wife advised the court that they intend to enter into mediation in order to attempt to resolve issues such as living conditions, the need for a conservator and health care. They will then return to court on June 20 to announce whether they resolved their issues.
His son believes Semel would be happier living in his Bel Air mansion instead of the Woodland Hills Motion Picture & Television Fund-operated retirement community where he currently resides. Until matters are resolved, Semel’s caregivers will remain on staff and family members may visit him as they wish. At present, these are the only agreements between the parties.
When families fail to agree on how to conduct the affairs of someone in a position similar to that of Semel, going to court may not be the only option. Mediation could help resolve issues surrounding the need for a conservatorship, along with who will make other decisions on behalf of a loved one. Understanding all of the legal options, the rights of the incapacitated person and other matters would be a good place to start.
Source: lawestmedia.com, “Semel Son, Wife, Say They Will Mediate Conservatorship Dispute”, May 17, 2018