Resources for Families

 

Eldercaring coordination can help you avoid a court battle when your aging loved one and your family most need peace!

Eldercaring coordination can help you and your family embrace the last years of your aging loved one’s life instead of being mired in heartbreaking conflict that results when families fail to develop a support system at that crucial time.

Interpersonal conflicts can lead to:

• Sleepless nights
• Decline in physical health
• Draining of financial resources
• Disconnection from family members
• Children repeating the cycle!

“This has been the best Father’s Day that we’ve had in a long time.”

– Family, after meeting with Eldercaring Coordinator

 
 
 
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How does it work?

The EC will focus on practical changes to meet the needs of the older adult and facilitate healing for the family. You may be a bit resistant to have another person be involved, just as some older adults may not like family members stepping in to assist them. The EC will listen to your concerns and help you build capacity to reduce the need for future tensions and court expenses. By attending sessions to speak up about your concerns, listening to the others participating, and learning to cooperate to meet the elder’s needs, you will be following the judge’s order to participate…sleep through the night, enjoy better health and conserve financial resources.

Referrals to eldercaring coordination may be:

  • Directed from the court

  • Requested by parties, attorneys, guardians, or conservators

  • Recommended by other professionals working with the family

  • Identified by Adult Protective Services or a similar government office

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

+ What is Eldercaring Coordination?

Eldercaring coordination is a court-ordered process for aging persons and their families, legally authorized decision-makers, and others who are court-ordered or invited to participate, that helps resolve disputes regarding the autonomy and safety of aging persons.

+ What does an Eldercaring Coordinator (EC) do?

  • Enables more effective communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills;
  • Offers education about care resources;
  • Facilitates the creation and implementation of an ageing person’s care plan;
  • Recommends how to resolve non-legal conflict; and
  • Makes decisions within the scope of a court order or with the parties’ prior approval.

+ Who is an Eldercaring Coordinator (EC)?

An EC is a highly qualified conflict resolution specialist, licensed or certified by a regulatory body of a jurisdiction, state or province, who has completed:

  • A master’s degree;
  • Three years of post-licensure or post-certification practice;
  • A family mediation training program certified by the circuit, state or province or that meets the standards adopted by the Association for Conflict Resolution;
  • An elder mediation training program certified by the circuit, state or province or that meets the standards adopted by the Association for Conflict Resolution; and
  • An Eldercaring Coordination training program that meets the criteria within the ACR Guidelines for Eldercaring Coordination.

Some eldercaring coordination programs may have more specific qualifications for their eldercaring coordinators. See qualifications for ECs in Florida.

+ Why is all that training necessary?

Family conflicts about the care of an aging person delays needed decision-making, impedes medical treatment and increases safety risks for the aging person. An EC must be well-prepared to help resolve high conflict family situations, which may include family members who escalate disputes, frequently file complaints and initiate adversarial actions. The EC is a conflict resolution specialist who helps participants focus on the aging person rather than their resentments toward each other so the family can work with appropriate experts to meet the needs of the aging person.

+ Who pays for the work of the EC?

The family shares the cost of the EC, reducing time and money spent compared to frequent litigation. The court determines how the EC’s fees are split among the family members and participants, decreasing the overall court-related costs that might be borne by each person in paying for lawyers and experts to litigate the same conflicts. Attorneys continue to represent their respective clients to help with legal issues as needed. Participants are informed if there are grants or scholarships available to defray part of the EC’s fees.

+ How often do participants in the eldercaring coordination process meet with the EC?

Eldercaring coordination may continue for up to two years to assist with the transitions that families may experience in caring for an aging person. Sessions are scheduled according to the unique needs of each family to help resolve non-legal issues, without the delays and lack of privacy experienced in court. Session frequency decreases when family members can productively communicate to develop and implement an aging person’s care plan. The EC remains available so that the family can address non-legal issues as needed without returning to court.

+ Who developed the Guidelines for Eldercaring Coordination?

The Guidelines for Eldercaring Coordination were developed by the Association for Conflict Resolution Task Force comprised of twenty U.S./Canadian organizations who worked collaboratively with the twenty statewide entities of the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Task Force on Eldercaring Coordination.

See Task Forces Page

 
 

Additional Resources

The EC can connect you to additional resources throughout the process that help inform the decisions regarding the care and safety of the older adult. You will have the opportunity to develop a support team of professionals and community services to enhance the care of the older adult and make your lives easier. There are national resources that may be able to assist the older adult and your family as well: 

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) – www.eldercare.acl.gov
Coordinates and offers services that help older adults remain in their homes - if that is their preference - aided by services such as Meals-on-Wheels, homemaker assistance, and whatever else it may take to make independent living a viable option. A good resource for services in a local area.

AARP – www.aarp.org
An informative site and advocacy group for older adults. Start with “Resources for caregivers and their families” to see all the information and resources available to you to learn more about coping, housing, legal, medical, and other needs that arise.

National Adult Protective Services Association – www.napsa.org
Adult Protective Services provides easy access to information on reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Alzheimer’s  Association - www.alz.org
Browse helpful information and resources for those living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer's or other dementias.

VETS - www.va.gov
Contact a Veteran Services Officer to learn about the many benefits they provide to veterans’ and their families.