(a) Application for appointment of a guardian and related motions and notices shall be served on the respondent, respondent's counsel or guardian ad litem, other parties of record, and such other persons as the clerk shall direct.
(b) When the application for appointment of a guardian is joined with a petition for adjudication of incompetence, the application shall be served with and in the same manner as the petition for adjudication of incompetence. When the application is filed subsequent to the petition for adjudication of incompetence, the applicant shall serve the application as provided by G.S. 1A-1, Rule 5, Rules of Civil Procedure, unless the clerk directs otherwise.