Growing up, our parents are the ones we turn to for advice on seemingly any issue. Believe it or not Millennia’s and Gen Y, before Google, if you had a problem, it always seemed like Mom and Dad had the answer. However, as our parents’ age, much changes. They no longer have all the answers and are often technological neophytes. The children end up the ones giving advice and caring for their parents’ needs. Further, this life cycle shift comes with its own emotional, physical, and financial concerns to address. For example, you may be wondering if your parents are capable of living on their own or whether they should consider their need for a long-term care facility. Are they capable of assessing their needs and do the have the capacity for making decisions and changes? What options are there if they stay in their home? How do I help them to develop a plan of care? What is a Power of Attorney and how do I go about sorting these things out? It is difficult watching our loved ones struggle with the aging process. Our family matriarchs and patriarchs who used to be the ones constantly giving out meaningful and practical advice may need help of their own, but won’t necessarily go out of their way to ask for it. Many grew up in a generation where complaining wasn’t an option, and problems were swept under the rug. Others complain so much it is difficult to muster the motivation to help them. Some siblings ignore the issues, while others play caregiver roles and feel overwhelmed.
Luckily today society is more open to talking about these issues and new services have emerged to help the growing aged population. This is where Elder Mediation can help. A third party can be very beneficial to work with families in order to help them develop plans of care that include discussion and planning about all the elder’s needs, as well as to facilitate difficult conversations, decrease conflict, and assist with differences of opinions. Elder Mediation is about bringing family members together to build a mutually agreeable resolution that is in the elderly person’s best interest. PCCS has accredited mediators who specialize in elder mediation and who offer these services in Halton, Peel, Dufferin, and Toronto. You will be so glad you called to ask us for assistance.
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