Family conversations about elderly parent care can be difficult, and disagreements can block necessary decisions. A mediator enables adult children and their parents to have a productive, comprehensive and creative discussion. Then, as a family, they can create a successful plan for the future.

The most frequent issues in elderly parent care involve major life changes:

• Different housing needs
• Difficulty with managing finances
• Disabling health problems
• The need for estate planning

Multiple parties may be involved, such as adult children, an attorney representing the parent, a financial planner, geriatric care manager and, of course, the elderly parent.

Mediation is a process that can promote dialogue between a number of concerned individuals together at the same time. The mediator keeps everyone focused so that the group discussion is productive and an agreed solution is found. The solution can be quite creative, based upon the unique needs of the particular situation and the particular family member. If an attorney is needed, appropriate referrals can be made by the mediator.