Aging Issues Mediation
WHAT IS ELDER MEDIATION?
Mediation has long been an accepted tool to resolve disagreements in contract disputes, auto accidents and divorce and custody situations. At Aging Issues Mediation (AIM), we use elder mediation to help resolve disagreements among family members regarding the care and well-being of an older loved one or between older adults and professional care providers.
Elder mediation helps the parties to a disagreement to really listen to each other and to explore options that will help them resolve their issues. It is a cost-effective alternative to expensive litigation in resolving conflict and helps preserve family or professional relationships, rather than destroying them as lengthy legal battles often do. Mediators treat all the parties to a disagreement with equal respect and concern; everyone has a voice at the table. Elder mediators help families learn about and find services, benefits and local resources that can help them meet the needs of the older or physically or cognitively-challenged adults at the heart of the crisis.
To learn whether elder mediation is right for you and your family, please call us at 972-809-0247 or e-mail us at info@e-seniorservices.com.
AIM offers elder mediation services primarily within Texas and the surrounding areas at this time.
HOW CAN ELDER MEDIATION HELP?
Elder mediation helps to:
- Resolve disputes amicably;
- Preserve family and professional relationships;
- Explore options to meet age, illness or disability-related challenges; and
- Maintain control of the outcomes, rather than waiting for a court to decide for you.
What do our clients say?
Two years ago my mother-in-law moved from another state to Texas to live with my husband and myself. It was never the ideal situation for her or for us but, at the time, it was the only alternative. It soon became apparent that living with us was quickly becoming a situation that was going from bad to worse for all of us; alternate living arrangements needed to be made. There was only one problem. My mother-in-law, while not wanting to live with us, also did not want to move out. It was then I turned to Dee, an elder mediator at AIM whom I knew professionally; I had never dreamed it would become necessary to ask her for help in a situation of my own. What a blessing that decision was!
After I explained
the stalemate we found ourselves in, Dee suggested a “mediation” to discuss
workable options for my mother-in-law and for us. She and another mediator gave up a Saturday
to have the mediation at our home. The mediation
lasted a majority of the day as the mediators talked to my husband and I, then
to my mother-in-law, and back and forth.
My mother-in-law was initially resistant to these strangers and any
suggestions they offered, but our mediators were wonderful and eventually my
mother-in-law decided that she really needed to find another place to live
where she would be happier. This was
only the first of many contacts with our family as it took significant support
and assistance from caring family members to help my mother-in-law implement
her decision. She eventually found a new
home in a senior residence in Dallas that is close to one of her siblings. Dee even came over on the day of the move to
support both my mother-in-law and us.
Without our mediators’ help and continued guidance, I’m not sure what
our final outcome would have been.
My husband and I
thank you so much for all you did to help us through this difficult process --
the phone calls where you just listened, the support, the constant reassurances
to all and the many, many phone and
e-mail follow-up conversations with our family.
We are forever grateful!
Barb S.
WHEN CAN AGING ISSUES MEDIATION (AIM) HELP YOU?
Aging Issues Mediation can help:
When family members disagree on a plan of care- When an older or ill adult and family cannot agree on whether it is time to move from the family home and, if so, to where
- When driving safety becomes a concern
- When there are quality of care or payment disputes between care facilities and residents or health care providers and patients
- When families have conflicting plans for financing long-term care
- When families disagree on fairly dividing opportunities to provide care
- When families disagree on whether a guardian needs to be appointed, or whom should be appointed (only a court can appoint a guardian, but many of the practical and emotional issues surrounding a guardianship can be worked out in a mediation)
- When families disagree on how to best meet the needs of a person with disabilities
- When families disagree on the distribution of estate assets
- When health care or senior service providers and their employees are at an impasse over issues in the workplace
- When caregiving employees feel employers are not recognizing their needs and adequately supporting them
See our blog article on Informed and Principled Resolution at http://www.e-seniorservices.com/blog/informed-and-principled-resolution.html
See recent news articles about elder mediation at Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.
