Is your family facing Elder Care challenges, but you and your relatives can’t agree on the best way to move forward? As we age, we face difficult decisions that affect our loved ones and can bring up strong emotions. Many of us avoid talking about the subject because we are afraid to cause a family conflict or even legal battles. This can force us to make decisions in a crisis, which is the worst time for effective communication. No matter whether your family is avoiding talking about your aging parents’ or grandparents’ future or whether you’re already in conflict about these issues, an experienced Elder Mediator can help.

When they hear the word “Mediation”, many people think of legal conflicts. However, Mediation simply is a voluntary and confidential process that offers a safe opportunity for people to talk about controversial issues, listen carefully to each other’s opinions, feelings, and needs, and can empower them to find solutions that address everyone’s concerns. The Mediator doesn’t necessarily have a legal background and can help resolve any kind of disagreements, e.g. about housing, care, financial and communication issues.

Trained Elder Mediators can also help avoid conflicts by bringing family members together for a Facilitated Family Meeting about their Elders’ future before a crisis hits. Facilitation is a process that guides a group of people through a dialogue in order to gather information, set goals, develop plans, and/or work together to make and implement decisions collaboratively. A neutral facilitator can be especially helpful when complex and emotional issues must be addressed, family members disagree about the problem, and experience prejudice or distrust among each other.

The most challenging part of a mediator’s job is to help bring family members to the table. But even if they don’t agree to participate in a joint meeting, Conflict Coaching is available to those parties who want to improve their family communication. In just a few individual coaching sessions, a mediator can lead a person to explore her/his own feelings and needs about the conflict, understand what may motivate other family members, and set goals for changing their interactions with each other.

If you’d like to learn more about Elder Mediation, Facilitation, or Conflict Coaching, contact Katharina W. Dress, founder of AGING IN HARMONY, to schedule a complimentary consultation:

Phone: 510-356-7830,
E-Mail: katharina@aginginharmony.com,
Web: www.aginginharmony.com

Or search for a qualified Adult Family or Elder Mediator in your area at www.mediate.com

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Hillsborough, CA, and the surrounding area, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

• Author
• Recent Posts

Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

Latest posts by Evan Loevner (see all)

• Six Strategies for Better Sleep for Your Elderly Loved One - December 17, 2024
• What to Look for in Senior Post-Hospital Care Providers - December 10, 2024
• Protecting Your Loved One From Falls When Visiting Family Over the Holidays - December 3, 2024