Mediation for Elders and Their Families

28 August 2009

I like this blog post on Southern Cross, Inc: What is an Elder Care Mediator . It neatly distills a lot of the issues and challenges facing Elders as they confront the inevitable realities of aging. Elder care management is a complex, confusing maze of big, life changing decisions, and most people only navigate the waters a handful of times in a lifetime (e.g. mom, dad, self). An expert in elder care is familiar with the issues and can suggest positive ways to address them. Though I think I view the role of mediator as separate and distinct from that of care manager, I also completely concur with the value of a mediator to help families navigate these waters. Roles shift, many interests must be balanced, decisions are big and life changing. Previously unnoticed family dynamics may suddenly cause disharmony. Mediation offers the possibility of working through all the issues in a positive, safe environment. It may even strengthen family relationships through the process of building teamwork and positive ways of responding to challenges as elders navigate these deep and sometimes turbulent waters.