Guardianship, Powers of Attorney & Healthcare Directives
When a loved one can no longer decide for themselves, the right people should be ready.
Few moments in a family’s life feel as heavy as the one where a parent or partner can no longer manage on their own. Sheri helps families put clear, legal authority in place, ideally well before it is ever needed, and gently when it already is.
(401) 600-0146·No pressure. No paperwork to bring. Just a first conversation.
What families often feel
Most families arrive somewhere on this same path.
Sometimes there’s time to plan. Sometimes there isn’t. Either way, the questions tend to sound very much the same.
“Mom is changing, and I'm not sure who can legally help her.”
“We never talked about what would happen if Dad couldn't decide for himself.”
“I want the right person to step in — not the court.”
“We're in the middle of a crisis and don't know where to start.”
“The hospital is asking for documents we don't have.”
“We want to do this respectfully, without taking away dignity.”
You don’t need to know the difference between a guardianship and a power of attorney before you call. Sheri will walk you through it.
Plain-language education
The quiet tools that protect a loved one when they can’t protect themselves.
There are two very different paths: the documents a person sets up in advance, and the legal authority a family may need to request from a court when those documents do not exist. Sheri helps families with both, steadily, and always with the loved one’s dignity at the center.
Durable Powers of Attorney
A document signed while a person is still capable, naming the trusted person they want handling finances if they ever can't. It avoids most guardianship court entirely.
Healthcare proxies & living wills
Naming the person you trust most to speak for you medically — and putting your treatment wishes in writing so they aren't left guessing.
Guardianship & conservatorship
When a loved one has already lost the capacity to sign documents, the court can appoint a guardian for personal decisions and a conservator for finances. Sheri guides families through it gently.
Limited & supportive options
Whenever possible, Sheri helps families use the least restrictive arrangement — preserving as much independence and choice as the loved one can safely hold.
Family coordination
Most guardianship situations involve more than one family member with strong feelings. Sheri helps everyone find clarity about roles, communication, and decisions.
Coordinating with the wider plan
Authority documents work best when they align with existing wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and long-term care planning. Sheri keeps it all coherent.
How Sheri helps families with capacity & authority
Steady guidance during one of life’s most disorienting transitions.
Capacity decisions are emotional, often urgent, and almost always tender. Sheri brings steady clarity to a moment that can feel anything but.
She honors the loved one at the center.
Even when capacity is in question, dignity isn't. Sheri keeps the person being cared for at the center of every conversation — and looks for the gentlest path that still protects them.
She helps families avoid guardianship when they can.
Whenever possible, Sheri helps families put powers of attorney and healthcare proxies in place ahead of a crisis — preventing the need for court involvement entirely.
She walks families through guardianship when they can't.
When court is necessary, Sheri demystifies every step — the petition, the medical certification, the hearing, the ongoing reporting — with patience and plain language.
She helps families talk to each other.
These decisions often surface old dynamics. Sheri helps siblings, spouses, and adult children find clarity together, instead of letting tension shape the outcome.
What working together looks like
Three clear steps, even in an urgent moment.
Whether you are planning ahead or already in the middle of a hospital phone call, the path forward is steadier than it feels.
A first, grounding conversation
Sheri listens to where things stand, asks a few gentle questions, and helps you see the next right step — not the whole road at once.
Choose the right path
Powers of attorney, healthcare directives, or a guardianship petition — Sheri recommends the gentlest path that still protects your loved one.
Put authority clearly in place
Documents drafted in plain language, or court filings handled with care. Either way, Sheri stays close until the family feels steady again.
My mother had declined faster than we expected, and we didn’t have the documents we needed. Sheri walked us through the guardianship process with such patience and respect for my mom. It was the first time in months we felt like we weren’t alone.
Guardianship & healthcare authority
Educational resource
A Family Guide to Capacity & Authority
A plain-language overview Sheri shares with families before their first meeting — the difference between the documents you sign in advance and the authority a court grants, and the practical questions that help you choose.
- What a durable power of attorney actually allows — and what it doesn't
- Healthcare proxies vs. living wills — explained in plain English
- What happens when a loved one loses capacity without documents in place
- What guardianship and conservatorship actually look like in court
- How to choose the right person — and the right backups
- How to honor dignity and independence at every step
Common questions families ask
Honest answers, in plain language.
When you’re ready
If your family is facing this now, you don’t have to face it alone.
Whether you’re planning ahead or in the middle of an urgent moment, Sheri will listen, explain what your options actually are, and help you take the next gentle step, with care for everyone involved.
Unhurried. Always confidential.