Conservatorship Abuse and Why Wendy Williams' Story Matters

Wendy Williams taken to hospital for wellness check

Wendy Williams was rushed to the hospital after allegedly dropping an alarming note outside of the assisted living facility that she's been staying in. The notice read "Help Wendy," prompting a wellness check by the police.

Williams has been living in an assisted living facility under a court-ordered conservatorship since 2022. She has recently compared her situation to "jail" and has been vocal about fighting for her freedom.

Conservatorship abuse has been pushed into the spotlight more in recent years thanks to notable figures like football star Michael Oher and pop icon Britney Spears. It has forced people to ask the question, what about individuals who are not celebrities? What goes on in the corners of the world where no one is investigating conservatorships thoroughly?

Beyond Wendy Williams, "What is Conservatorship Abuse?"

When a conservatee is abused or used by their caretaker, this is called conservatorship abuse. Financial exploitation, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and mental control are all types of abuse that can happen in a conservatorship. A person under guardianship is no longer allowed to make decisions for themselves, including financially, which opens the doors to being taken advantage of.

In the United States, the number of conservatorships has remained constant, with about 1.3 million people in conservatorships across the country. More than a million of them are over 65 years old. What is even more alarming is the number of institutional malpractice cases, which aids in how many people end up in abusive conservatorships.

A press release shared in February 2024 from Wendy Williams' medical team claimed that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023. Last month, Williams questioned her diagnosis, prompting her court-appointed guardian to request a new evaluation.

It is unclear what the end results will be for Wendy Williams as she and those who care about her continues to advocate for her wellbeing. Will her case have the same ending as Britney Spears or not? What matters in the end is that she is cared for no matter the circumstances and surrounded by people who are not taking advantage of her.