Any good tips on how to be the best guardian?

As guardian you make decisions your mother would have made if she were able. Keep receipts/documentation of expenses and attend any medical appointments. Contact your local court clerk if you have any questions regarding authority to make decisions or the annual report. You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging, senior center or aging services in your state, they will be able to give you information regarding guardianship.

I agree with peglyhubba, this website has been the single most helpful support and learning tool that I have found. Also, please try to get as much help with as many things as possible. If anyone offers to help, let them. If your mom's doctor tells you about Home Health Care or Hospice options accept that help. Be open with family and friends about any needs or wants and take any little bit of help that they want to give. This job just gets bigger and harder as time goes on. Take lots of photos. Keep a journal of everything. I wish I had written stuff down because now I don't know when was the last time my mom left the house. I can't remember when was the last time that she walked. When the times get tough and your mom fights back or refuses to do what you want her to do, just know that as she slips away those behaviors will also slip away and for me I actually feel worse seeing my mom lose those fighting sparks. You must have had quite a wonderful mom because she helped you become the wonderful kind of woman you are. All the best to both of you.

My suggestion is to keep reading posts in the forum, look for specific topics. There are so many helpful loving people here to help. Possibly some of your concerns have been addressed previously.

http://www.alzforum.org , http://www.alzheimers.org, http://www.alzheimers.org/rmedia/menu.htm. I have also utilized facebook and have joined Memory People on there and also the group on f/b called Forget Me Not. I go to a lot of these sites daily or weekly.

It's smart of you to ask these questions. I had some problems the first year and learned my lesson. On the financial side, (I'm the financial guardian) account for every penny and keep receipts in a book. Make sure ALL financial institutions and businesses change their billing address to your location or post office box. Keep all personal monies separate from the grandmother's money. I have a Guardianship bank account that I use for all money transactions & I use a Quicken/Quick Books type program for reporting purposes. Every year, in May, I submit a report to the courts showing all money transactions. Oh, also I file mothers 1040 tax forms. . .which aren't a big deal with so little money coming into and out of her accounts.
On the personal guardian side (that's my sister), my sister attends all doctor appointments. She keeps in close contact with the ALC makes sure mother has all personal items that she needs or wants and pops in to visit at any hour to make sure all things are going well at the Living Center.
I opened a checking account in my sister's name into which money is deposited for her to use for any funding needs.
Once we got ourselves into a routine, the guardianship isn't nearly as difficult as it sounds. You will do fine. If you have a question, ask somebody, don't just assume.

Sorry, just saw this. A good guardian goes to all the MD visits with her ward. You are the guardian, gramma is your "ward". A good guardian keeps the financial records and submits an annual report to the Surrogate's court.

How about this; is there a website I can visit to get answers to my questions? I asked this 11 hours ago, and no hits. I guess I just don't know how to ask correctly.