A referee for family disputes?

This article from the Wall Street Journal talks about the growing popularity of using mediators to settle issues regarding elderly parents. It also gives a good idea of what to expect, and gives some links to the websites of mediators. Click here to read it.

I'm definitely in favour of disputes being mediated, as opposed to being hammered out in court. Having spent many years in estate litigation, I've seen the damage fights can do to families, not to mention their finances.

The photo shown here by Mark Matcho is also from the Wall Street Journal article.

Mentors try to help families resolve conflicts over aging parents

This article from the Washington Post gives some ideas about how family mediators can help those families where the kids disagree about their aging parents. I wish more families were willing and able to access this kind of help, as the fall-out from family fighting can be truly terrible. Click here to read the article.

When the family needs an umpire

This article from the New York Times tells the story of conflict between an elderly person and her caregiver, and how a mediator worked out the conflict with them. It gives other ideas about how an elder mediator can help a family. I wish more families were open to the idea of mediation, or at least more committed to communicating with each other before small irritants become enormous! Click here to read the story.

Parents Aging, Squabbling Adult Siblings Need Elder Mediation, Conflict Resolution

Having just posted earlier today about mediation and other ways of avoiding estate litigation, this bulletin from AARP seemed very timely! Click on the link below to read in more detail about what mediation can do to help families with conflicts arising from estate-planning and elder-related issues.

Parents Aging, Squabbling Adult Siblings Need Elder Mediation, Conflict Resolution