Project Guardianship

“A lot of what we do is harm reduction,” the case manager said. “We can’t eliminate risk. We try to reduce it while still respecting her choices.”

For this year’s “Honor a Caregiver” campaign, we shine light on the excellent and adaptable care Ms. Neil receives for her complex and changing needs as one of Project Guardianship’s longtime clients. Read Part III of Ms. Neil’s story: https://projectguardianship.org/media/articles/part-iii-long-arc-caregiving-eleanor-neil

Honor the caregivers in your life by sharing their stories and making a donation to PG. https://projectguardianship.org/honor-a-caregiver

For this year’s Honor a Caregiver campaign, we shine light on the excellent and adaptable care Ms. Neil receives for her complex and changing needs as one of Project Guardianship’s longtime clients.

Honor the caregivers in your life by sharing their stories and making a donation to PG at: https://projectguardianship.org/honor-a-caregiver

Learn more about how our multidisciplinary team works together over time to support Ms. Neil. Read Part I of her story here: https://projectguardianship.org/media/articles/part-i-long-arc-caregiving-eleanor-neil
Part II here: https://projectguardianship.org/media/articles/part-ii-long-arc-caregiving-eleanor-neil

She’s someone who values control,” a PG staff attorney said. “And she should. So, from the beginning, our job was not to take that away, but to work with it.”

For this year’s “Honor a Caregiver” campaign, we shine light on the excellent and adaptable care Ms. Neil receives for her complex and changing needs as one of Project Guardianship’s longtime clients. Read Part I of Ms. Neil's story: https://projectguardianship.org/media/articles/part-i-long-arc-caregiving-eleanor-neil

Honor the caregivers in your life by sharing their stories and making a donation to PG at: https://projectguardianship.org/honor-a-caregiver

May is Older Americans Month—a time to recognize the countless contributions, resilience, and wisdom of older adults across our communities. Established in 1963, this month is dedicated to celebrating aging, raising awareness about issues older adults face, and highlighting ways we can support efforts to age with dignity, independence, and purpose.

This year’s theme, “Champion Your Health,” encourages older adults to take an active role in their well-being—making informed decisions and advocating for the care and support they need to live safely and independently.

At Project Guardianship, this theme is at the heart of everything we do. We serve some of the most marginalized older adults—many without family or resources—by providing personalized guardianship services rooted in compassion, advocacy, and respect. Our team works to ensure that each client’s safety, well-being, and voice are preserved, while supporting access to services that promote stability and quality of life. We also develop and promote alternatives to guardianship so that older people can retain as much independence, autonomy, and decision-making power as possible—key components of truly “championing” one’s health.

This Older Americans Month, we reaffirm our commitment to standing alongside older adults: uplifting their stories, safeguarding their rights, and helping build a community where every person can age with dignity and strength.

Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) — a reminder that planning ahead is one of the most important ways we can protect ourselves and the people we love.

At Project Guardianship, we believe advance care planning is more than paperwork — it’s about making your voice heard when it matters most. NHDD is a nationwide initiative dedicated to inspiring, educating, and empowering individuals and healthcare providers to have meaningful conversations about future healthcare decisions.

Too often, these conversations are delayed or avoided. Only about 3 in 10 adults have formally documented their healthcare preferences — leaving families and caregivers with difficult decisions during already emotional moments.

Our work goes beyond guardianship services. We are also deeply invested in promoting less restrictive alternatives that preserve autonomy and dignity, including powers of attorney, supported decision making, and other tools that allow individuals to retain control over their lives while getting the support they need.

That’s why we encourage people to:

-Talk openly with loved ones and trusted providers about your values and wishes
-Explore tools like powers of attorney and supported decision making that might prevent guardianship down the line

By normalizing these conversations and planning ahead, we can ensure care aligns with personal values, while easing the burden on families and providers.

Take time today to start the conversation. Your future self, and your loved ones, will thank you.

Read our Advance Directives Fact Sheet: https://projectguardianship.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/Advance%20Directives%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Read our report on Supported Decision Making:
https://projectguardianship.org/media/articles/developing-supported-decision-making-older-adults