Bay Area Elder and Eldercare Mediation

Need a little help talking to your parents and siblings about elder issues? Need help with the basics of eldercare?

At Bay Area Elder Mediation, Planning and Advocacy, we help families resolve conflicts that arise as parents age and adult children assume responsibility for their care. If you are new to caregiving we can teach you the basics, help you conduct a family meeting and address your specific needs and budget. If you are concerned about the care your family member is receiving at an Assisted Living Facility or Skilled Nursing Facility, we can help.

Making difficult decisions can be a stressful process and lead to disagreements, conflict and even expensive court proceedings. As families age, the dynamics often become more complicated and entrenched, especially for siblings. Old conflicts can make collaboration and communication even more difficult. Geographic distance, differing economic means and concerns for immediate families can add to the challenges. Coming together for family decision-making can seem overwhelming.

With help, family members can share information, explore and evaluate options, and develop workable solutions through a process that promotes open and positive communication. A mediator is a neutral, who does not offer advice but facilitates solutions that will work for the family as a whole.

If everyone is not yet willing to sit down to talk, I can help you with strategies to move forward.

Call Us: 650.625.7300
Different cities? Not in the Bay Area or California. We may be able to have our meet online and direct you to your local resources.

Usually in just one meeting we can get your family working together to plan for your aging parents future.

These are just a few of the issues Bay Area Elder Mediation can help resolve:

Residence & Living Arrangements for Seniors: Stay in the family home or is it too isolating or unsafe?
Driving & Transportation Issues: How do we get Dad to give up the keys.
Sibling Conflict & Fairness Issues: Is the hometown daughter doing all the work?
Power of Attorney & Conservatorship Issues Who is allowed to act in the event of incapacity
Medical & Care Decisions Who makes sensitive decisions when you disagree?
Inheritance, Will, Trust & Estate Issues Work it out or spend it all in court.
Distribution of Personal Property Who gets what when parent's downsize?
Family Business Disputes Who will run the business if Dad can no longer.
End of Life Decision-Making Burial. cremation, science?
Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families What about Mom's kids from husband # 2

Richard H. Schwachter, JD has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, a senior himself, and an Elder Mediator for over 10 years. He has had advance Elder Mediation training at Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and taught and lectured on elder mediation and planning. He has hands on experience as a resident Elder Advocate Field Ombudsman for San Mateo County, CA. He is a licensed Certified Civil Circuit Mediator in Florida and a listed ADR provider in the Santa Clara Superior Court, California. He is a graduate of Case Western Reserve Law School and the University of Wisconsin. He is an author an artist and a proud grandfather of five.