David Daun Nesbit

I am a Baby-boomer.  My interest in Elder Law did not begin in law school which I attended in the evening as a middle-aged real estate developer.  However, when my parents and in-laws’ physical and mental health began to decline suddenly, the issues we now address as an Elder Law firm became very real and personal for me and my wife, Marcia as we became the primary caregivers for our four parents.

Over an eight year period, we experienced a wide variety of issues related to our parents’ dementia and other chronic illnesses.  It was a constant challenge to balance our desire to preserve our parents’ dignity and independence in their home with our strong desire for them to be safe and not accelerate the decline of the relatively healthier caregiving spouse.   As our parents did eventually enter the long term care system, we were greatly confused and frustrated by the conflicting interests or regulations affecting hospitals, rehab facilities, skilled nursing homes, custodial care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, hospices, and individual medical professionals. 

The difficulties we faced were formidable challenges for which we were unable to find access to answers or appropriate guidance to help us to locate the resources we needed to for our parents.  It was remarkably chaotic.  As we did the best we could with the information we could find, we sought out a guide or advisor to help us feel confident that we were not overlooking any opportunities to comfort or assist our parents during this overwhelmingly difficult stage.  

The “elder law” attorney we utilized had advised us of Medicaid paperwork but did not do the paperwork for us nor did he/she assist us in the paperwork.   The attorney failed to advise us that our parents qualified for over $20,000 per year in assistance in a special pension from the Veterans Administration. The attorney had no expertise in matters of insurance or real estate, did not have a social worker on staff and did not once visit or even attempt to visit our parents at the facility where they lived.

Our experience with the elder law attorney shaped my vision of Keystone Elder Law P.C.  After the passing of our parents, I began seeking a better way to serve our community.  I wanted to create service that would maximize the quality of independent living for older persons and reduce the pain of transitioning to alternative care arrangements if needed for their safety or as the only economically viable option to assist with their increased need for help with activities of daily living.  Much research led to a strong belief that elder law is unique in that it is important to involve experienced social workers to focus on care planning and coordination.  Our firm has an approach not only to respond to an immediate crisis, but also to anticipate and avoid a crisis or need for a nursing home placement. Keystone Elder Law P.C. has embraced this approach and our multi-disciplined, compassionate team of experienced Elder Law professionals shares a profound commitment to this service.

Prior to becoming a principal of Keystone Elder Law P.C., I was an executive of a private corporation and a real estate broker-developer who completed transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars over three decades in twelve states.  I served as a national chair of the Office Condominium Forum, the Private Developers Forum of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP), and president of the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors Industrial, Commercial and Investment Council.  I am a former school board member and administrator of federal and state grants on a local level.  I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Wake Forest University, a Master of Public Administration degree from Penn State University, and a Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law.  While in law school, I supported my family with full-time employment and received the American Jurisprudence Award for Real Estate Transactions and Education.

I am Certified in Long Term Care Insurance (CLTC), retain Pennsylvania licenses as both a real estate broker and a producer of life and health insurance.  I am a “Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM)” of the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute.  I believe in continuing professional education and have completed hundreds of hours of training in real estate, law, management, mediation, and leadership. I also regularly teach accredited continuing education courses to various professionals and I accept as many invitations as possible to speak to local service and professional organizations about elder law and long term care issues. 

I am thrilled and professionally rejuvenated to have the opportunity to organize and be part of a team of experienced and mature professionals who believe that Extended Care Planning is a fresh approach to serve older adults and their families effectively.  We are able to stay on top of the latest changes in law and resources through our active membership with a number of national and state organizations. Although I wish that my parents and in-laws could have benefited from having such a comprehensive service available to them, we feel blessed to have the opportunity to be the first to initiate that level of service in Central Pennsylvania.