About Bradley Geller
Bradley Geller served as counsel to the Age Discrimination Study conducted by the United States Commission on Civil Rights in 1976-1978, at the outset of which he developed the conceptual framework for the study.
He subsequently developed a free legal services project for older adults in a three county area in Michigan, work which included advice, representation and writing booklets on guardianship, health insurance, wills and age discrimination.
As counsel to the Michigan House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Geller drafted the Michigan Guardianship Reform Act of 1988, and participated in drafting statutes creating the durable power of attorney for health care and the do-not-resuscitate procedure act. Publications he wrote were distributed to constituents by more than 100 state legislators.
He helped initiate and organize a free, annual conference, Aging Toward the Future, with as many as 300 older adults participating.
As counsel to the Washtenaw County Probate, Mr. Geller managed the guardianship and conservator system and initiated Project Dignity. The project’s goals were the promotion of alternatives to full guardianship; the education of guardians, conservatorship and guardians ad litem; the use of mediation; and the creation of a volunteer guardianship program.
Concurrently, he organized an annual, multidisciplinary conference under the auspices of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
In a later position, he served as assistant state long term care ombudsman. The State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is designed to work with nursing home residents and their families to improve residents' quality of care and quality of life. His work included serving as a resource and developing training for local ombudsmen throughout the state and writing publications for the public and for service providers, including nursing homes.
He continues to advocate with legislators and the Michigan Supreme Court for reducing the number of individuals with a guardian; expanding the option of limited guardianship; decreasing unnecessary institutionalization and radically improving oversight to address the pervasive and long-standing problem of financial exploitation by professional guardians.
Bradley Geller, JD
Acknowledgements
Any success of my work and this website are attributable to the support and participation of a number of individuals and organizations through the years. Noting the following individuals does not minimize the contribution of many others:
Perry Bullard, JD, Chair, Michigan House Judiciary Committee
John N. Kirkendall, JD, Judge, Washtenaw County Probate Court
Sarah Slocum, MA, Michigan State Long Term Care Ombudsman
Irene Kazieczko, MA, State Director of Community Mental Health. (Irene coined the phrase "Changes and Choices" in 1981.)
Janet K. Welch, JD, Counsel, Michigan Supreme Court; Executive Director, State Bar of Michigan
Valerie Osowski, MA, Director of Communications, Office of State Representative Perry Bullard
Priscilla Cheever, JD, Probate Court Analyst, State Court Administrative Office; Assistant State Long Term Care Ombudsman
Bonnie Hess, MA, Lenawee County Community Mental Health
Maureen Mickus, PhD, Professor and Gerontologist, Western Michigan University
Kathleen Harris, JD, Legal Counsel, Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service
Katy Graham, JD, Director, Elder Law Center, Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services
Roxanne Chang, JD, MA, Attorney / Psychologist
Lauretta Murphy JD, Private Practitioner
Hollis Turnham, JD, Michigan State Long Term Ombudsman
Jeanne Takenaga, JD, Probate Court Analyst, State Court Administrative Office
Jamarie Geller, MD, MA, Psychiatrist
Aubree Blumer, PNP, MA, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, Professor and Psychiatrist
Matthew Geller, MFA, Artist
Craig Ross, JD, Family Mediator and Arbitrator
Thomas Macnaughton, BA, Director, Lenawee County Department on Aging
Alma Wheeler Smith, BA, Michigan State Representative and Senator
James Plunkett, PhD, Psychologist
Patricia Scheel, RN, Psychiatric Nurse
Ben Hare, Michigan Legislative Services Bureau
Bridget McCormack, JD, Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court
Bruce Timmons, Counsel, House Republican Caucus
Janay Haas, JD, Lawyer, Oregon Legal Services and Author
Diana Kingsley, MFA
Rachel Gauvin, MPH
Elder Law and Advocacy Section, State Bar of Michigan
Credits for Artwork
Josef Albers
Color Study for Homage to the Square
1955
oil on masonite
22"x22''x1"
Suzanne Geller
Blue Sky
1971
acrylic on canvas
48"x40"x1.25"
Suzanne Geller
Berkshires
1973
acrylic on canvas
40"x48"x 1.25"
Suzanne Geller
Bridge
1972
acrylic on canvas
53"x40"x2"