Elder Mediation
Issues may emerge regarding an aging spouse or parent. Should they be driving? Can they continue to live alone? What about nursing care? Who is going to pay for it? Is that coming out of my inheritance?
It is no wonder that families stumble over these issues. It can be so difficult to hold meaningful discussions, much less resolve the underlying issues. Family members may revert to roles established decades earlier that don’t allow for productive discussions.
Spouses, adult children, other family members, caregivers and friends all have important voices that need to be heard in the conversation. The elder person, perhaps the most important voice in the conversation, is often silent or ignored. Mediation can bring the group together and unpack the various issues. Mediation may be the crucial first step in effective planning and problem solving.
Families of special needs children and siblings may face similar issues that need to be addressed, within the same constraints. Mediation can flexibly accommodate any of a number of family situations.