If family members disagree about a loved one's needs or how to best respond to needs, relationships can be strained, important decisions postponed, and leave everyone involved feeling angry, guilty, or both. Elder mediation is a cooperative process in which a professionally trained elder mediator helps facilitate discussions to assist your family find reasonable solutions together. This step requires all parties are: · Willing to participate in mediation; · Willing to reach an agreement that works for other parties, as well as themselves; and · Have the ability, with help, to participate in the conversation – to say what is true for them and what they need, and to try to understand the other parties.
The benefits of elder mediation are many, including: · Understanding parents’ plans or intentions · Deeper understanding of other parties’ viewpoint · Input from all sides regarding life or care plan · Avoids litigation when litigation would destroy important relationships · Usually much less expensive and parties equally share the cost · Confidentiality is preserved; nothing shared during mediation can be used or reported during litigation
The role of the Mediator is: · To assist, facilitate, and guide the negotiation to explore some options for agreement that may be agreeable to both sides. The role of the Mediator is not: · To judge, arbitrate, fact-find, make decisions, or give legal advice. Trinity Advocacy Group received its mediation certification from Northwestern University and has over 20 years of advocacy experience for older adults and their families. |