When Stepchild Competes with Second Spouse to Take Care of Parent: How Can Mediation Help?

Aging in harmony

As an Elder Care Mediator, I frequently get contacted by adult children who are fighting with family members about their aging parents’ care. But recently some second spouses reached out to me for help, because their partner’s children from a prior marriage wanted to be in charge of their mom’s or dad’s care. The special dynamic of blended families can make the decision who should care for an aging loved one especially complicated. Here are a couple of examples from … Read more

When Aging Parents Won’t Participate in Elder Care Mediation: How Can Families Resolve Conflicts?

Aging in harmony

As an Elder Care Mediator, I frequently get contacted by adult children whose family does not see eye to eye about the future of their aging parents’ housing, care, or finances. Since the parents are at the center of the conflict, I always ask to speak with them first, before I can decide how I may be able to help. More often than not, mom or dad is willing to meet with me for an initial confidential consultation – in … Read more

FAQ for Mediators: How Many Meetings Does it Take to Resolve Family Conflicts about Eldercare?

Aging in harmony

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, more families visit their aging parents and grandparents than during any other time of the year. At such gatherings, concerns about the Elders’ future can easily lead to disagreements. So it’s not surprising that as an Elder Care Mediator, my phone is ringing more often during this season. A frequently asked question during initial complimentary consultations with potential clients is “How many meetings will it take to resolve our family’s conflicts?” I usually answer … Read more

Adult Children Living Near and Far Away: Should Aging Parents Treat Them the Same?

Aging in harmony

As an Elder Care Mediator, families often reach out to me for help when adult children have different opinions about what’s best for their aging parents, e.g. what care they need or where they should live. But lately I’ve been working with some families who disagree about a different topic: If some adult children live close to their parents and others live further away, should they be treated the same? Conflicts about this question can arise either between the adult … Read more