Adult Guardianship of Person

Jewish Family Service provides comprehensive Guardianship of Person Services to those individuals who have been determined by the court to be incapacitated and no longer able to make their own life decisions.

Jewish Family Service’s duties as Guardian of Person include making daily decisions about the individual’s personal affairs, maximizing his/her right to self determination, and enables:

• Assertion of the rights and interests of the individual
• Respect for the wishes and preferences of the individual to the greatest extent possible.

The guardian makes an extensive assessment and encourages the participation of the individual, where applicable, in the development of a plan of supportive services to meet the person’s needs and:

• Encourages the individual to participate to maximum extent of his/her abilities in all decisions, to act on his/her behalf when he/she is able to do so and to develop or regain his/her capacity to manage his/her personal affairs to the maximum extent feasible
• Provides required documentation to the court in a timely fashion
• In-person contact with the individual occurs once a month and more frequently as needed
• Guardianship services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The Coordinator of the Older Adult Services, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is certified as a National Certified Guardian by the Center for Guardianship Certification. Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services, Inc.

Referrals may be made by individuals within the community, hospitals, long-term living facilities, physicians, attorneys, the court and social service agencies.

The Guardianship Service is a fee for service program. All guardianship fees are reported to and approved by the court.

If you have concerns about a loved one or are questioning how to make a referral, please contact our office to discuss the appropriate services available, or email info@jfsnepa.org. Our professional staff will ensure that the dignity, self respect and independence of the individual are promoted and preserved to the fullest extent while protecting him/her from mistreatment and neglect.

“This project is funded, in part, under a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners through the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging.”