A conservatorship generally refers to a legal concept by which one person or entity has control over the estate of a person who is incapacitated in some way, or unable to handle his or her own affairs. The term "conservatorship" is used interchangeably with the term "guardianship" in some jurisdictions, but the more common distinction between the two is that a conservator is responsible for a person's estate, whereas a guardian is responsible for the actual person. For instance, if your elderly father is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and cannot take care of himself or his affairs, you might seek both conservatorship, or control over his estate, as well as guardianship, or control over his person, depending on your state's laws.