Elder Family Dialogue & Mediation serves older adults, their families, caregivers and others who want to prevent or resolve conflicts. Disagreements often happen when it becomes necessary to make decisions about important life transitions.

Conflict does not have to escalate into family chaos, especially during challenging times of change and transitions. Elder Family Dialogue & Mediation focuses on providing a voluntary, safe and confidential opportunity for people who share decision making to talk through and better understand their respective concerns and options. Through improved communication and productive problem solving, participants discover innovative ways to address their concerns and make informed decisions they can live with.

Marcia H. Haber, founder of Elder Family Dialogue & Mediation, brings over 20 years of experience as an attorney, mediator, teacher, consultant and volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsman to her practice of mediation and conflict resolution.

Marcia practices facilitative mediation which gives each participant in the mediation an opportunity to speak, be heard without interruptions, to listen and hear new information so as to take part in discovering possible solutions. Participants learn about important facts and how to focus on their priorities to reveal creative options that best address their common goals and individual needs. Participants are self-determined to achieve mutually satisfying outcomes.

Marcia does not take sides, decide who is right or wrong, provide therapy nor provide legal representation for anyone participating in a family meeting, dialogue or mediation. Marcia assists participants in a fair process to best exercise their own power of self-determination and decision making.

In a shared decision making process, each person has a voice to the fullest extent possible with or without support (advocate/friend) or by having a surrogate present (representative with legal authority to make decisions on their behalf). To maintain each participant's dignity and autonomy, when appropriate, Marcia helps to identify supports and accommodations to enhance an individual's capacity to participate in the decision making process. Shared decision making can restore and preserve relationships which often give new meaning to the words quality of life and care.

Elder Family Dialogue & Mediation provide opportunities for having productive conversations for shared decision making and resolving conflict. The outcomes reached by the participants are possible through facilitation by a skilled, third party neutral mediator in a safe and confidential forum.

For example, when an elder's choice to remain independent at home conflicts with the perceptions of the adult children about what is safest and most cost effective, a dialogue, family meeting or mediation can help to focus on better understanding each participants' values, preferences, needs and options.

Often participants need to consult with an attorney, psychologist, geriatric care manager or other professional to better understand their rights, options and essential information for making their informed decisions. Participants have the opportunity to agree on whether to include particular professionals in the mediation process or to take time in between sessions to consult with the appropriate professional then return to the mediation with the information needed.