EQUITY INEQUITY AND PATTERNS OF GUARDIANSHIP OF OLDER PERSONS/

There have been recent reforms of guardianship systems focusing on the rights of older persons in Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Germa ny, and the United States. Little is known, however, about the lives o f guardians. Equity theory guided the investigation of four styles of guardianship: the tough, sympathetic, challenged, and sad. Among 317 g uardians, perceptions of inequity and benefit differentiated the sad a nd tough from others. Implications for practice are suggested.