A growing number of mediation lawyers, as well as other experts, are specializing in elder affairs. This is a segment of family mediation that can help families resolve disputes.

Many of these disputes concern who will be taking care of (or paying for care of) an elder member of the family. But that's not the only kind of mediation services these experts offer. Read more to find out how to contact one for your needs.

Elder Care Mediation Services Development Over the Years

This type of specialized mediation has been growing for years. The Association for Conflict Resolution tacked on its elder group in 2009. This makes it a fairly recent--but not entirely new--addition to the trade association's listings.

Why is this? For one thing, 80+ age group--and specifically, those 85 years of age and older--has been growing faster than any other age-related demographic segment in the U.S.

Conflicts frequently arise when children disagree about the elder's care, or try to convince the older member of their family that a certain course of action may be advisable (giving up driving, for example).

Why Hire A Mediation Attorney Versus Court Settlements?

The role of mediation attorney has become more attractive in recent years, as this is often a cost-saving alternative to more formal legal solutions.

Even more important to many family members is the fact that mediation is a lot less adversarial. In fact, a session can often leave a family feeling closer together than they have in years.

What Can Civil Mediation Do for Your Family?

Civil mediation gives everyone a chance to be heard. All too often, it's the parent or other older family member who feels left out of the decision-making process.

At other times, children or grandchildren may feel too under-the-thumb of their parents, or just plain embarrassed to discuss the matter of elder care.

The role of a mediation attorney is not to solve problems, but rather to help families solve their problems together, without fighting. Any family can do themselves a favor by looking for local mediation lawyers before resorting to more severe solutions.