Nevada Guardian Services urges families to use person-centered guardianship questions

Nevada Guardian Services is offering guidance for families weighing guardianship or other decision-making support for vulnerable adults. The Las Vegas agency says the goal is to help people choose the least restrictive option while keeping the person’s wishes, rights and dignity at the center.

Why it matters: - Families facing guardianship decisions often need to weigh medical, residential and financial choices at the same time. - The guidance is meant to help families identify options that protect a vulnerable adult without removing more rights than necessary. - Nevada Guardian Services says person-centered planning can improve decision-making for vulnerable adults by keeping the individual’s goals and preferences central.

What happened: - Nevada Guardian Services released practical guidance for families considering guardianship or other decision-making support for a vulnerable adult. - The guidance draws on the National Guardianship Association’s Standards of Practice. - Susan Hoy, president and CEO of Nevada Guardian Services, said families deserve clear information and compassionate support. - Hoy said the individual’s dignity, voice and rights should remain central to the process.

The details: - The National Guardianship Association’s 2022 standards call on guardians to identify and advocate for a person’s goals, needs and preferences. - The standards also call for the least restrictive alternative that meets the person’s needs while respecting freedom, rights and control of the person’s setting. - Nevada Guardian Services suggests families ask five questions: - What the individual wants, and what support would help the person express those wishes. - Whether options exist that would meet the person’s needs with fewer restrictions. - How medical, residential and financial decisions will be made and documented. - How family members, trusted friends and qualified professionals will be involved in planning. - What authority a guardian has and how the guardian is accountable to the court. - Nevada Guardian Services provides guardianship, power of attorney, probate administration and trust administration services. - The Las Vegas-based agency works with families, legal professionals, healthcare teams, care facilities, social workers and courts. - The release says more information is available on the Nevada Guardian Services website. - The release says the guidance is general information and not legal advice. - Guardianship matters are governed by applicable law and court authority.

Between the lines: - The guidance reflects a broader shift in guardianship toward less restrictive, more individualized decision-making. - By framing the issue around questions rather than directives, Nevada Guardian Services is positioning families to compare options before seeking a court-led solution. - The emphasis on court accountability signals that guardianship remains a legal process, not just a family care arrangement.

What's next: - Families considering guardianship can use the five questions as a starting point for discussions with attorneys, clinicians and care teams. - Nevada Guardian Services says families should seek advice appropriate to their own circumstances. - The agency continues offering advocacy, care coordination and decision-making support for vulnerable adults.

The bottom line: - Nevada Guardian Services is urging families to choose the least restrictive path possible and keep the person’s wishes at the center of guardianship decisions.