Parents and Siblings
For the first time in history, the average couple in this country has more living parents than children. To put it another way, the average couple in the United States has two children, and those children have three and sometimes four living grandparents.
The fact that our parents are living longer means they will confront new issues regarding their cognitive and physical health. This increases the time and cost of caring for them, and pressures like these often trigger family conflict.
Family Mediation resolves disputes among families relating to the care of an elderly parent. Decisions siblings face are complicated by financial, medical, geographical, legal and emotional factors. Even siblings with the best intentions often disagree about the best way to handle these issues. Manhattan Mediators brings families together to find solutions that work.
How Family Mediation Works
The first step is for the family to decide who will be present at the mediation. The group can include siblings, one or both parents, spouses, and grandchildren. Sometimes, a parent’s caregiver, such as a geriatric care manager or other professionals can also be included if all parties agree.
Before we meet with the family for the first time, we will contact individuals separately to hear their concerns and familiarize ourselves with the various issues at stake. We will then convene the family for a mediation session , which usually lasts a full day. A successful mediation results in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) listing all solutions agreed upon by the family.
Issues we help families resolve include:
- Power of Attorney
- Guardianship
- Healthcare Proxy
- Capacity (the ability of the parent to take part in the mediation)
- Medical issues
- Long-term Care facilities
- Financial and Estate Planning: selling the house; the division of assets and debts; paying for long term care
- Dividing personal possessions
- Sibling Disputes
For a free consultation contact:
Hal at hgessner@manhattanmediators.