catipper,
Conservator of your mother's estate and conservator of your sister's estate are two different things. Since disabled sister is not a minor or an adult child under 24 yrs. old that is enrolled in school/college, the Court will NOT order conservator of your mother's estate to provide support for your disabled sister. Legally, disabled sister is not entitled to be supported by your mother. Caretaker refers to the person that takes care of your mother, who is control sister. Control sister is the one entitled to caretaker consideration. If you were conservator of your mother's estate, control sister (as conservator of your mother's person), would have to petition to you (as conservator of estate for caretaker consideration). Perhaps the Judge was not clear about who was who in all this. You really need to seriously consider hiring an attorney that specializes in guardianships/conservatorships. You can obtain a free consultation.
With your court authorization for conservator of your sister's estate, you now have the legal authorization to handle SSD and other monetary affairs for disabled sister. Apply for state assistance for your disabled sister (Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, etc.) at the Dept. of Children and Families. Use disabled sister's name, address, etc. for the person who is applying for whatever you are applying for on behalf of disabled sister. On the line where it states legal representative, after signing your name, follow your signature with Conservator. You will need to bring the original Court Order. Do not leave that original order with any agency The agency can make a copy of it.
Until your mother passes, you will not be able to do anything regarding disabled sister's interest in your mother's estate. Just keep all your records in a safe deposit box. Remember, control sister must have a court order allowing control sister to change or sell your mother's assests. Making changes without court permission will be BIG trouble for control sister. If you learn that control sister has made changes, petition to have her removed as conservator of the estate.
My "kids" (wards), typically, are in their eighties, have multiple health problems, dementia (making them not cognitive to the seriousness of their situation), have family that have been notified the person needs a plenary guardian, and the family has no interest in taking on this responsibility. My "kids" have assests, have valid wills leaving their assests to their family who had no interest in being the ward's guardian upon being notified and who did not know they were the heirs to the estate. Any guesses on when these families became interested in their relatives? My loyalty, responsibility, and duty are to the ward.
I rarely see the inside of a court house because my excellent guardian attorney quickly takes care of all legal matters and petitions necessary. I have learned to pick "my battles" very wisely and have excellent relationships with the "hands-on" caretakers of my "kids" and their health care providers. My biggest problem was with a private duty CNA from an agency that was hired who would not follow directives, even the directives by Hospice. A couple of days after having the CNA removed from the case, I received a threatening phone call from the CNA. The agency that the CNA worked for terminated the CNA. The phone calls at 4:00 a.m. notifying me that a ward is being sent to the hospital aren't so great. I have to get up and go though. I deal with little things such as "my chocolate is missing" to really big things such as critical life decisions and funeral arrangements.