Courts Issue Updated COVID-19 Related Orders Regarding Court Operations and Phased Re-opening
Courts Will Continue to Conduct most Business Virtually until at least September. By: Wynn Gerhard, JD The Massachusetts Courts continue to monitor the evolving risks from COVID-19, and have recently updated new Standing Orders and updates on Court procedures. Outlined below is the status of these Orders as of June 24, 2020, for the Supreme…
Read MorePolicy Report: Nursing Home Policy Reforms Signaled by the COVID-19 Crisis
The Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute members have compiled a report titled “Nursing Home Policy Reforms Signaled by the COVID-19 Crisis”. The report offers four cost-effective proposals for improving the care of nursing home residents, especially those who are cognitively impaired and unable to communicate their own needs.
Read MoreFormer Attorney General Speaks on Guardianship
Former Attorney General Speaks on Guardianship By Hon. Scott Harshbarger Former Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts “Guardianship” today means both less and more than it has in the past. Less, because we now understand that decisional support is a spectrum: one size does not fit all, and informal supportive relationships with friends, family…
Read MoreMassachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute’s Statement Regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine and Informed Consent
As the U.S. continues the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute is concerned about the ability of persons who may lack legal capacity to provide consent to accept the shot if they don’t have a health care proxy or guardian to act for them. Since residents of nursing homes have been…
Read MoreReport: Colloquium on Guardianship Oversight
Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute Presents on Public Guardianship at Massachusetts Bar Association’s 8th Annual Probate Law Conference
On Friday, November 13th, 2020, the Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute and the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court will present a two-hour program about their joint pilot project, Public Guardian Services (“PGS”), at the Massachusetts Bar Association’s 8th Annual Probate Law Conference. Topics that will be covered during the two-hour presentation include: Why do we…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Guardianship: Rita’s Story
As a college student, I was required to complete an internship in order to receive my certificate in Gerontology. Like many of my classmates, I assumed I would help in Activities at a Nursing Facility or do some administrative work at a Council on Aging. But when my advisor suggested that I intern at an…
Read MoreAre You or a Loved One Facing Nursing Home Placement? In-Home Care May Be an Option.
If you or a loved one may be facing admission to a skilled nursing facility, you should understand the basic facts of long term care, how to pay for a nursing home stay, and, perhaps most importantly for most of us, how to avoid going to the nursing home. Planning cannot start soon enough. Paying…
Read MoreProbate and Family Court Partners With Non-Profit on Pilot Project to Create Massachusetts’ First Public Guardian
The Probate and Family Court today announced that it is partnering with Public Guardian Services (PGS), a Massachusetts non-profit organization, to implement a pilot project for a public guardian in Massachusetts. The pilot begins July 6th and will be implemented in Suffolk and Plymouth Counties. Public Guardian Services is lead by Executive Director Sandy Hovey,…
Read MoreMassachusetts Policy Institute Annual Report 2019-2020
Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute Annual Report 2019-2020 Read More
Read MoreNevada Senate considers ‘Supported Decision-Making’ Bill
Nevada considers a bill that will allow Supported Decision-Making Agreements as an alternative to guardianship. These agreements will allow disabled adults to choose who they would like to help them with their financial, medical, and other life decisions, ultimately allowing them to live as independently as possible. Click here to read the full article
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