CaringCounsel
A Division of Accordo Mediation Specialists, LLC
"Building Bridges Between the Generations"
Family Caregiving Mediation/Shared Decision-Making Support for Caregivers and Their Elderly Loved Ones
Family First
Common Elder Dispute Issues
CaringCounsel specializes in helping families navigate the complicated and emotionally charged decisions as elderly loved ones transition from independence to dependence.
Matters can become complicated further with family tension or outright hostility. It's no wonder that disagreements sometimes end up in court, an expensive proposition that can easily magnify divisions. Mediation offers an effective and expedient mechanism for resolving these conflicts and establishing sound care plans for the future.
A recent national study of Adult Guardianship Mediation found that 8 out of 10 mediated cases were successfully resolved and accepted by all parties.
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Changes in living arrangements, medical options
Disputes with nursing homes or other care providers
Estate and trust issues; power of attorney
Caregiver burnout, division of care
Planning and anticipating issues before crises develop
Copyright 2009 Accordo Mediation Specialists, LLC CaringCounsel is a registered trademark of Accordo Mediation Specialists, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Services
Saving Family Relationships
As baby boomers age and options for their care increase, we will all face many difficult choices concerning how we handle transitions during our elders' declining years. Families will have to be able to evaluate resources, options and develop flexible strategies to support their elders. Even when not legally competent to make decisions, it is important to include an elders wishes and expressed preferences when putting a plan into place.
Elder mediation is a rational first step for families to help them address their changing needs while enhancing problem solving, communications skills and avoiding messy litigation.
Our expert team of certified mediators, licensed social workers, gerontologists, attorneys and therapists work collaboratively to ease the transition for everyone and preserve relationships.
According to a new CBS News poll, one in five Americans have had the responsibility of caring for an aging parent - by taking them into their homes or paying for their care.
Many issues facing these caregivers are daunting, like resolving who will manage a parent's finances and who will care for a parent physically.
For many families, professional mediators may help resolve some familial conflicts.
Sound Familiar?
Benefits To All
CaringCounsel recognizes that all who come to the table have perspectives and experiences worthy of respect.
It ensures that all have a voice. It is interesting to note that, regardless of outcomes, many clients report that the opportunity to “have my say,” and be heard is one of the most valuable factors contributing to their mediation success.
Like all forms of mediation, elder care mediation is completely voluntary, you can leave at anytime, confidential, and flexible. Solutions can be informal or end in a formalized agreement, temporary or address the long term and end in a comprehensive, written agreement. Your family's unique situation dictates the outcomes of the mediation.
“All my kids want is to take my car keys away.”"
“"My daughter wants to put me in a nursing home. I’d rather die first."
“"My family thinks I’m going to come live with them so they can control all my money."
"My brother handles all of mom and dad's finances but I 'm the one who takes care of them."
What is Elder Mediation?
Differences That Matter
Elder mediation is a systematic process in which a neutral, trained professional mediator assists an older adult and family identify and negotiate issues of common concern.
It is a way to bring about agreement or reconciliation in disputes over aging related problems.
It is a confidential and voluntary process.
Elder Mediation fosters deliberation that can move participants beyond differences to new possibilities and solutions to meet common interests.
CaringCounsel provides an interdisciplinary approach to elder care planning and mediation which includes certified mediators, licensed social workers, therapists, gerontologists and attorneys.
We begin with comprehensive health, social and functional assessments which help guide us as we facilitate agreement on a care/life plan between the family members and the elder. This gives us objective details so we may best facilitate decision-making.
This approach is our unique competence that sets CaringCounsel apart from other mediation practices ... differences that matter in the outcome of your elderly loved one's transition and your peace of mind.
Expert Team
CHRISTINE CONLAN IS A SUPERVISORY LEVEL LISCENSED INDEPENDENT SOCIAL WORKER (LISW). SHE IS A CERTIFIED LIFE COACH, A CERTIFIED COLLABORATIVE THERAPIST, AND A TRAINED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPIST. SHE IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WELLNESS COMMUNITY FOR CANCER PATIENTS AND HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS OF INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
CHRISTINE HAS PROVEN KNOWLEDGE WORKING AS A PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND EDUCATOR FROM A FAMILY SYSTEMS APPROACH; HELPING TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND EASE FAMILIES THROUGH DIFFICULT TRANSITIONS, ADJUSTMENTS, AND LOSS. SHE IS DEDICATED TO ASSISTING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES MOVE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS, UNDERSTANDING AND BALANCE IN THE FAMILY OR INDIVIDUAL.
IN HER CLINICAL PRIVATE PRACTICE, SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ASSISTING AGING CLIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES TOWARDS AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE BY PROVIDING A MESSAGE THAT SUPPORTS EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND HOPE. SHE IS A DEDICATED CLINICIAN WITH EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IN THE AREAS OF ADJUSTMENT, ILLNESS, GRIEF AND LOSS. CHRISTINE RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN PHYCHOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI AND A MASTERS DEGREE IN CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
CHRISTINE IS A NATIVE CINCINNATIAN AND A SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN; KELSEY 23YEARS, AND TYLER 21YEARS. SHE IS ACTIVE IN NUMEROUS COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND NON PROFITS IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA AND ENJOYS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
Deborah A. Wallace, MSM, MGS, PCM, CCM, author, gerontologist and mediator, began working in the geriatric field in 1987. As a senior executive in regional marketing for several national senior living providers, she was responsible for support, guidance and direction to community and regional staff in the development and implementation of sales and marketing programs. A great deal of her time was spent on resolving quality of care complaints and advocating for families and their elderly loved ones. In the late nineties, she pursued clinical education to further her understanding of aging. Deborah understands the aging process and respects and appreciates elders quality-of-life issues.
As former founder and president of a geriatric care management company, she devoted her knowledge base to educating and empowering families with elderly loved ones to make better, more informed decisions to maintain independence and age well.
Following her passion for helping elders to age peacefully, she determined that using her skills as a neutral facilitator in conflict prevention, resolution and mediation was the ultimate form of advocacy for elders. She helps elders maintain dignity and autonomy by having a voice in the decisions impacting their lives. In 2008, she founded CaringCounsel, a division of her company, Accordo Mediation Specialists, LLC devoted to conflict services to older adults and adult families. She has mediated a wide range of disputes involving elders and their families, from family meetings facilitating decisions that are in the best interest of the older person, to highly emotional disputes involving quality of care complaints, trusts, estates and conservatorships.
She conducts research, writes, and produces educational podcasts and seminars to encourage the goal of aging well.
Learn More
Links
Elder Care Mediation - "Elder Care Mediation: The Future is Now,"by Judy McCann Beranger, points out how mediation can benefit families involved with the care of seniors.
"Elder Decisions in Elder Mediation,"shows how elder mediation can bring together family members in a way that protects family relationships.
Guardianship Mediation -Learn More
Aging Parents and Adult Children - "Between Aging Parents and Adult Children"which shows how mediation can be beneficial.
View our Fact Sheet
When seniors are not part of the conversations and decisions that affect them, they often fare poorly, both physically and emotionally. In contrast, when seniors have input into the decisions that impact them and their family, there is 85-90% compliance with those decisions
(Source: American Bar Association, Elden and Ziebarth, March, 1999).
sell sheet_elder care
WHAT DOES MEDIATION COST?
Fees for private mediation vary from $100 - $300 per hour, depending on the experience and training of the mediator and/or whether co-mediation (e.g. with two professionals) is used.
Elder mediation is a time-sensitive process with the majority of cases taking as little 2-3 hours. Some may take 2-3 meetings requiring 4-10 hours. Of course, there are some situations that require more time.
Mediation can usually be arranged quickly and fees are often split amongst multiple family members. Mediation is almost always far less expensive than going to court.
As a courtesy we provide a FREE 30 minute consultation.
Click here to schedule.
Contact Us
CaringCounsel, a division of Accordo Mediation Specialists, LLC has offices throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee. We have teams of professionals who live and work in your community, so you can rest assured CaringCounsel's professionals are locally-based and well respected in their field.
We also maintain a nationwide presence through our state-of-the-art telemediation services which has proven invaluable for families spearated by distance. We also make housecalls for our clients convenience meeting you at hospitals or wherever you call home.
Call us TODAY: 1-877-5-ACCORDO (877-522-2073) Schedule a FREE consultation. Click here.
Corporate Office:
9075 Centre Pointe Drive, Suite 450
West Chester, OH 45069
1-877-5-ACCORDO
(877) 522-2073
help_accordomediation.com
Website: www.accordomediation.com
MEDIA AND NEWS
See our advertisement and story in the Winter 2010, Butler/Warren County Health and Wellness special insert of the Pulse Journal News published Thursday, January 28, 2010.
Hearts United Our Not-for-Profit Foundation
