Mary Ellen Ceely is a lady with a reputation. She s well known in Volusia County and other parts of the state as a specialist in elder care, says Attorney Gary Wright, who has known Ceely professionally and personally for 10 years. She helped me in my practice. She s willing to help others, Wright adds.
Elder care is a very recent specialty development.
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys was formed in 1987, says Ceely. Over 50 percent of Ceely s practice is helping families understand Medicaid and assisting them to qualify for benefits to help pay the cost of nursing home care. Ceely didn t start out with the dream of becoming a lawyer. Schooled in the 60s when women s choices were mainly limited to education or nursing, she chose education. With a Master s degree in guidance counseling from University of Nebraska, Omaha, she worked seven years as an elementary school counselor in Key West.