Elder Care & Guardianship

Elder mediation and facilitated family meetings provide opportunities for older adults, their families and care providers to come together to share their points of view and find mutually satisfying solutions for the care of the elder family members.

Aging often is a difficult subject to address. As our loved ones start to experience the physical, emotional and financial changes associated with advancing years, postponing such conversations no longer may be an option. Family members, called upon to make complex and difficult decisions about living arrangements, caregiving, medical options and other critical—and urgent—matters, often feel overwhelmed by the challenges of coordinating decision-making with those who wish to, or need to, be involved.

Our mediators stress the importance of ensuring that, to the degree possible, the elder person has input in the decision-making process and that solutions are geared toward helping him or her retain his or her dignity and self-respect.

Key issues often include:

• Guardianship alternatives
• Caregiver respite
• Financial management
• Living arrangements
• Health & personal care decisions
• Medication administration & use
• Residency decisions
• End-of-life decisions
• Funeral & burial arrangements