We sat down with Project Guardianship’s President and CEO, Kimberly George, and Board Chair, Joan Malin, to talk about the multifaceted work that encompasses person-centered guardianship services; alternatives to guardianship; and critically needed guardianship reform. Enjoy their illuminating conversation, and please consider making a year-end gift to Project Guardianship. Your support makes our work possible. To make a gift, click here!
How would you describe Project Guardianship to a person unfamiliar with guardianship or alternatives?
Kimberly:
Imagine a loved one suffers from a stroke or is in an accident that causes a traumatic brain injury, or any other situation that decreases their capacity, and they don’t have powers of attorney or other legal tools executed. How are you going to help them? How are you going to make medical decisions, pay their bills, apply for Medicaid to get them home?
The only tool in circumstances like that, the only legal option to make decisions for somebody else, becomes guardianship. Now imagine a person who doesn’t have a family member or friend to be their guardian and not enough money to pay for a court to choose a private guardian for them. That’s the growing gap that Project Guardianship was founded to fill.
Joan:
Fundamentally, PG pulls together the support and care that someone needs and respects that person’s decision-making and choices. We seek to work from clients’ individual needs and abilities.
Click below to continue listening to Joan and Kimberly's conversation about PG's mission and core values.
What do you think is Project Guardianship's “secret sauce,” so to speak. In other words, what sets us apart?
Joan:
We have a team approach, which includes case managers, financial experts, lawyers, and housing specialists. Every case is carefully reviewed by the team. The teams get to know the clients, and that combined effort leads to a person-centered plan that really speaks to the individual needs of every client that we serve.
Kimberly:
The passion and dedication of the staff, and the fact that Project Guardianship combines both direct human services with education and advocacy, set us apart. We use the knowledge that we’ve gained serving nearly 1,000 New Yorkers over two decades to change the systems that are supposed to care for people. We are the only group in New York that provides comprehensive guardianship services through multidisciplinary teams while also focusing deeply on guardianship alternatives and organizing a coalition to reform guardianship.
What is the biggest challenge facing Project Guardianship?
Joan:
I would say funding is the first challenge. State and local funds cover only essential basic staffing, so we need private support to allow us to provide added expertise, effective oversight, data analysis, advocacy, and client activities and supports that are not covered by a client’s own resources or present funding. The private monies that we can raise, whether from foundations or individuals, make a critical difference in our ability to do our work.
The second challenge is advocacy, which builds on what Kimberly talked about earlier. We are really seeking not only to provide the direct service, but to be a model of care, to have a model like ours available statewide, and to be part of a national conversation on transforming guardianship. That kind of advocacy work takes private resources as well.
Kimberly:
I agree with you, Joan, wholeheartedly. In addition, there is a lack of awareness among the general public about guardianship. People don’t understand it. The fact is, guardianship is very complicated and very nuanced. We know we need it in some cases, but PG also works to prevent it through less-restrictive alternatives.
Click below to continue listening to Joan and Kimberly discuss the need for greater awareness and alternatives to guardianship.
We are all overwhelmed with appeals this time of year. Why should people support Project Guardianship?
Kimberly:
Everybody deserves to live their best possible life for however long they might be aging with diminishing capacity. Maybe it’s two years or five, maybe it’s 10, 20, even 30 years. There should be some guarantees for how we will be cared for, regardless of our social networks and our access to money.
Joan:
Think about your own family or people you may know who have aged or ourselves. I'm aging. You want to know that people can get help, and you want to know that the care that is provided is effective. Project Guardianship saves healthcare dollars by fewer emergency room visits and fewer nursing home stays.
Please give in honor of the people you know who have been able to age with the support they need. You can help others receive this same level of person-centered care by donating to Project Guardianship.
Project Guardianship relies on the support of our donors to continue to bring outstanding, person-centered care to older adults with dementia and mental illnesses and people with disabilities who need help making decisions. In addition to guardianship services, we promote less-restrictive alternatives to guardianship and work to create a system that guarantees a high-quality guardian to any individual who needs one, regardless of their financial or social situation. To make your year-end gift to PG, please CLICK HERE! Thank you!