1. AMANDA MOLOMBY CONSENSUS CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TELEPHONE: 04382211313 EMAIL: amanda@consensus,net.au ELDER MEDIATION A NEW PHENOMENON Consensus Conflict Management

2. WHAT I WILL TALK ABOUT TODAY What is elder mediation? Why is the need for elder mediation increasing? What are the issues specific to elder mediation? What does elder mediation look like? Consensus Conflict Management

3. ELDER MEDIATION: DEFINITION It is an elder-centered, multi-party, multi-issue, multi- generation process; It is voluntary and is a confidential process; Where an impartial mediator assists family members to: talk to each other in respectful, positive and culturally sensitive way; identify and discuss issues and concerns in relation to the ongoing safety, care and/or welfare of the elder; generate potential options or solutions; and make decisions and plans which focus on the best interests of the elder, whilst respecting their rights. Consensus Conflict Management

4. ELDER MEDIATION  Why is it called “Elder Mediation”? Consensus Conflict Management

5. WHY IS IT CALLED ELDER MEDIATION? Historical; Cultural; Uniformity across jurisdictions; and Respect. Elders are “the Wisdom Keepers, who have an on going responsibility for maintaining society’s well-being and safe- guarding our ailing planet” and “the joy of passing on wisdom to younger people not only seeds the future but crowns an elder’s life with worth and nobility”. From “Age-ing and to Sage-ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older” Zalman Schacter- Shaloni Consensus Conflict Management

6. WHY IS ELDER MEDIATION INCREASING? Population; Changing Nature of the Family; Consensus Conflict Management

7. THE “TRADITION FAMILY” Consensus Conflict Management

8. STRUCTURE OF THE FAMILY Changing structure of the Family Contraception; Medical Advances; Family Law Act; Recognition of Same Sex Partnerships. Consensus Conflict Management

9. THE MODERN FAMILY Consensus Conflict Management

10. ISSUES ADDRESSED IN ELDER MEDIATION Residence; Financial; Medical treatment; and Inheritance. Consensus Conflict Management

11. ELDER MEDIATION MODEL Consensus building; Facilitation; Conflict coaching; and Dispute system design/ family decision making. Consensus Conflict Management

12. INTAKE Rapport building; Elder abuse screening; Participants- who should attend; Confidentiality concerns; Continued Consensus Conflict Management

13. INTAKE Location of mediation; Capacity of elder to make decisions; Dispute systems design/ family decision making; Conflict Coaching. continued Consensus Conflict Management

14. THE ELDER MEDIATION PROCESS Impartiality of the mediator; and Empowerment of the elder. Consensus Conflict Management

15. REACHING AN AGREEMENT A = “I completely agree”; B = “That’s a good idea: I am supportive of that”; C = “I can support this”; D = “I have reservations but will continue to talk about it”; E = “I have serious concerns and we must continue to talk about it”; and F = “I cannot be part of the discussions and block it”. Fom “Mom Always Liked You Best”, Kardasis, Larsen Thorpe, Trippe, Consensus Conflict Management

16. SOLUTIONS Graceful Decisions; Successful Transitions; Bruised Families; and Litigious Solutions. Deborah.B.Gentry ‘Resolving Middle Age Sibling Conflict Regarding Parent Care’, 19 Conflict Resolution Quarterly,31, 31-34 (2001) Consensus Conflict Management

17. THE FUTURE Any questions ? Consensus Conflict Management