Watching a loved one get older and lose their independence is difficult for any family but can be especially difficult for a family that has multiple tensions and conflicts between its members.  When there are elements like greed, bitterness, or hostility involved, discussing something as important as elder care becomes a very slippery slope that can have devastating effects on the cohesion of the family.

Combine this loss of cohesion with the expensive process of litigation and you can have an outright war occurring between children and grandchildren who may or may not have the best interests of their parents and grandparents at heart. Lengthy court battles only serve to increase the tension and bitterness, causing an already stressful situation to become toxic.

That’s why mediation has become one of the best ways to solve issues with elder care. Through mediation, families can use a non-biased third party to look at everyone’s “side” and made a legally binding choice that is good for everyone involved, most especially for the elder who needs care in the first place.  When a non-biased decision maker steps in and is able to provide his or her expert opinion based solely on the facts presented and their ramifications, the family is able to reach a compromise and settle the dispute over elder care far easier.

Judges often appoint a mediator or require that the parties in conflict hire a mediator when there are issues related to elder care choices and decisions.  Some issues that can be discussed and arranged during elder care mediation are: housing, transportation, driving limitations/restrictions, caregiving division of duties, vacation planning for caregivers, financial decisions, improving relationships, and more.  Mediators can also assist with wills, trusts, and estate planning, as well as assist the family with all end-of-life decisions.