Elder Mediation Archives » Northwest Elder Law Group

23 March, 2020

Mediation For Dementia Elder Care

2020-05-22T17:04:40-07:00March 23rd, 2020|Categories: Elder Mediation|

Few things in life are as difficult or challenging as making health and home care decisions for a parent suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Siblings and loved ones may disagree whether the parent requires nursing home, assisted care living, in home service or another level of care. Sometimes adult children and family members cannot resolve short- and long-term care issues on their own. Several other issues can arise when determining the best care for parent. It's not uncommon for parents and siblings to disagree about the best path forward. Fortunately, Washington State provides many caregiver sources, so families have ...

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3 September, 2019

Caring For Aging Parents Can Strengthen Your Family Unit

2020-05-22T19:30:50-07:00September 3rd, 2019|Categories: Elder Care, Elder Mediation, Estate Planning|

Your parents have cared for you your entire life. As roles reverse, you likely want to do everything you can for them. While you try to make sure many of their needs are met, disagreements about your parents' care and financial situation could arise among family members. Your siblings probably want to do all they can for your parents as well. But you may have different concerns about how to address the needs of your aging parents. It is not uncommon for family members to have disputes - especially during trying times, and in some cases, mediation might be necessary ...

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26 March, 2019

How Mediators Can Help Family Caregivers

2021-09-24T14:44:10-07:00March 26th, 2019|Categories: Elder Care, Elder Mediation|

As a caregiver for your elderly parent, you may find yourself at odds with your siblings on occasion. Your brothers or sisters sometimes dispute important aspects of your parent's care, including medical treatment, living arrangements and caregiving responsibilities. Sometimes, the conflicts become so contentious that nothing is accomplished except making everyone angry. When family members clash over the care of their senior parent, they may choose to work with a mediator. A mediator is a neutral professional who can help the parties in a dispute come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement. There are many ways that mediators can help ...

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22 September, 2018

How Siblings Can Avoid Fighting Over Caregiving Disagreements

2021-09-24T14:35:48-07:00September 22nd, 2018|Categories: Elder Care, Elder Mediation, Family Disputes, Planning For Your Loved Ones|

As your parents get older, it will become increasingly important for you and your siblings to come together and help your parents find the best caregiving options. Depending on the circumstances and the health of your parents, you may be able to hire in-home caregivers that allow your parents to stay in their own home. In other situations, an assisted living facility, adult family home, memory care community, or a skilled nursing facility may be more appropriate. No matter what decision you and your parents ultimately make, it is helpful when siblings can be on the same page. Having ...

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20 November, 2017

Taking Care Of Business In The New Year

2020-05-22T19:34:41-07:00November 20th, 2017|Categories: Elder Care, Elder Mediation, Estate Planning, Planning For Your Loved Ones, Planning For Yourself, Wills|

With the New Year comes New Year’s resolutions. Though these goals are made with the best intentions, come March, they have often slipped your mind. But making plans for the future, taking control of a situation or navigating challenging conversations should never just be a temporary goal that gets pushed aside. This year, think about whether your plans are in place – both for yourself and your loved ones. Make sure you have everything taken care of and that it’s legally binding. Whether it’s having the conversation you’ve been avoiding or finally sitting down and putting your wishes into writing, ...

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18 March, 2017

Is It Time For A Hard Family Conversation? Here’s How To Start.

2020-05-22T19:38:34-07:00March 18th, 2017|Categories: Elder Care, Elder Mediation, Planning For Your Loved Ones|

There’s one in every family - the person who takes on the tough jobs and always seems to end up responsible for everyone else. It’s one thing to end up being responsible for Thanksgiving dinner year after year. It’s another to be the person who always has to step up when something worrisome is happening with Mom or Dad. It’s OK to ask your family for help. Here are some tips for how to make that conversation as successful as possible. Skip the email and schedule a conversation Sometimes it feels easier and safer to write an email than ...

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10 March, 2016

5 Conflicts That Can Be Resolved During Mediation

2021-09-24T14:42:45-07:00March 10th, 2016|Categories: Elder Mediation, Family Disputes|

It would be great if we could always see eye to eye with our family. In practice, as we all know, conflicts will arise among our loved ones. One way that families can resolve these conflicts is by using mediation. Mediation brings in a neutral third party to help all the parties come to a mutual agreement. The mediator doesn't force you to make any decisions. The mediator is there to help facilitate the conversation and identify areas where agreement may be found. Because estate planning and other end-of-life issues are so emotionally charged, this is a frequent source ...

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10 November, 2014

Family Conflict? Consider These Strategies

2021-09-24T14:41:14-07:00November 10th, 2014|Categories: Caregivers, Elder Mediation, Family Disputes|

One of the hardest parts of having an aging parent is watching the tables turn. Once, they were responsible for taking care of you and your siblings. Now, it is your turn to take care of them. This shift in responsibility can cause stress in even the closest families. Maybe your parent needs more help caring for themselves, but is reluctant to accept it. Or perhaps one sibling feels like they are shouldering a disproportionate amount of the burden, and others aren't pulling their weight. Regardless of the source of conflict, dealing with it is always better than letting ...

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30 November, 2013

4 Tips For Family Caregivers

2021-09-24T14:37:38-07:00November 30th, 2013|Categories: Elder Mediation, Long Term Care, Veterans|

Caring for an ill or aging loved one is hard work, and something that a lot of people do. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 34 million people in the United States provide unpaid care to an ill or disabled adult. On average, these family caregivers provide over 20 hours of care every week. There's a financial investment as well: many caregivers end up spending thousands of dollars out of their own pocket or cutting back on their working hours. If you're a family caregiver, be proud of the work you do. ...

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15 March, 2013

Is Elder Mediation Right For You?

2021-09-24T14:34:05-07:00March 15th, 2013|Categories: Elder Mediation, Family Disputes|

Getting into a dispute with your family can be an incredibly stressful and frustrating experience. This is especially true when the disagreement concerns the care or safety of an elderly spouse, parent or other loved one. If you're in this situation, mediation may be the answer. Elder mediation can be a very productive way to resolve family disputes in a safe and confidential environment. Mediation helps families find solutions The goal of elder mediation is to help families reach a mutually agreeable solution to their problem. The process is facilitated by a mediator, a neutral third party who helps ...

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