Dispute Resolution Training & Services
Elder Care Facilitation Services
Our population is aging. Life expectancy is continuing to increase with advances in medicine. And the cost of providing care for our elders is soaring. Consequently, discussions about how to care for our elders have become more critical and more frequent than ever before.​
"Many Americans who serve as caregivers are consumed by the immense cost of tending to ailing or aging family members. And as the baby boomer generation ages, more Americans are in for a rude awakening as to just how expensive caring for older adults has become."
- Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill
What is an Elder Care Facilitator?
With the natural process of aging comes the frequent development of physical, mental health and social concerns. Facilitators of elder care discussions are experienced in conducting meetings with members the elder's circle of care in a manner that allows for a collaborative environment in which all participants feel included and heard. Facilitators of these discussions are experts in managing the process and content related to the discussion.
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Facilitated discussions about an elder's care resolve conflicts and are most likely to produce solid plans for an elder's care that all involved parties find acceptable.
Elder Care Facilitator vs Elder Lawyer
Professional facilitators help elders meet their goal of maintaining dignity, autonomy and independence with whatever guardrails are needed to simultaneously provide them with safety and security.
The difference between a facilitator and a lawyer is significant in terms of time, expense and family relations.
Facilitators are trained to work WITH all family members and elder service providers to reach agreements that build positive relationships among family members. The job of the facilitators is to help the entire family, especially the elder find solutions most likely to achieve the best possible quality of life for an elder.
Lawyers on the other hand are trained to argue and fight for the benefit of one person over another, which they refer to as "advocacy". Fighting is expensive, time-consuming and often destroys family relationships.​
The Facilitated Elder Care Discussion Process
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Facilitating elder care issues involves coordinating and managing the process and discussion about the various aspects of care needed by an elder. It is important to tailor an elder's Plan for Living to the elder's specific needs and preferences, while considering their overall well being and quality of life. Effective facilitation requires open communication with the elder, their family and caregivers, service providers, such as medical and mental health care workers, assisted living and nursing homes, physicians, attorneys, finance professionals, and others within the elder's Circle of Care.
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Discussions about elder care typically involve the elder, their family members and other care givers, and service providers. The issues that are typically discussed involve medical, legal, financial and social decisions that must be made in order to provide the elder with the best possible quality of life. Not everyone agrees on the decisions that must be made, which often leads to conflict. Without resolution, this conflict can destroy family relationships and put the elder in medical, legal, financial or social peril. Resolution of these conflicts is possible through the use of trained facilitators.
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Typical Facilitated Elder Care Discussion Issues
Typical issues that are addressed during a facilitated elder care discussion include legal issues such as powers of attorney, guardianship or conservatorship if needed, health care directives like health care proxies, living wills, and DNRs. Discussions also often include discussions regarding managing financial affairs, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility and choices, wills, trusts and other estate planning issues, residential choices and preferences, transportation and engagement in social activities, medical devices, treatments and more.
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Facilitators are needed to help family and concerned parties communicate and collaborate, which is crucial to implementing the right interventions and environmental supports to enhance an elder's level of function and quality of life.​
Interested in Learning How to Facilitate Elder Discussions?
In addition to providing elder care facilitation services, we will train others to do this work! See the curriculum for our Elder Care Facilitation Certificate Program below!
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If you are an organization that works with elders, we'd love to work with you! Please schedule a discovery session with us to discuss how we might assist with facilitation training for your group.
Elder Care Facilitation Certificate
Course Curriculum
Day 1 [Session 1]
Facilitation & the Circle of Care
Starting with an understanding of what Facilitation is and isn't, participants learn the Five Steps to Successful Facilitation, the essential skills and fundamental principles of highly effective facilitators, and how to guide the Elder and their Circle of Care to identify individual and mutual interests that reflect the priorities and meet the challenges of the Elder.
Day 1 [Session 2]
Elder’s Plan for Living
Participants are taught how to create an Elder Care Plan for Living that supports dignity, autonomy and independence, while simultaneously providing for the Elder's safety and security. Participants will practice what they learn during Day 1 in group discussions and role play exercises.
Day 2 [Session 3]
Day 2 [Session 4]
Identifying and Addressing the Issues
Psychology & Planning
Participants develop an in-depth understanding of the distinctions between medical and legal concepts of capacity, as well as the psychosocial and cultural aspects of elder care that should be included in elder care discussions. Ethical issues and conflicts of interest are discussed. Options and alternatives for offering facilitation services as part of an existing professional practice, or as a separate service offering to elders and their caregivers are presented.
Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of potential financial issues, medical issues, long term care insurance considerations, and how to include care for caretakers in the Elder's Plan. Participants walk through the nuts and bolts of working with clients and members of their Circle of Care, and learn how to develop a strong referral network of experts and resources.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this program participants will be able to:
Describe what an elder care facilitated discussion is.
Define the role of an elder care discussion facilitator.​​
Perform the duties of an elder care facilitator by managing the process and content of a discussion related to elder care issues and decision-making.
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Identify the parties involved in an Elder’s Circle of Care and explain the interrelationships between those parties.
Explain how to create an effective atmosphere and an environment of understanding in which to facilitate elder care discussions.​
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Describe the details of an Elder Care Plan for Living.
Work effectively with the family members and caregivers of an elder in creating the elder’s Plan for Living. ​​
Assist family members, caregivers and others within an elder’s circle of care in building solutions necessary for the optimum well-being of an elder.
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Facilitate discussion and resolve disputes among elders, their family members, caregivers and others, when the parties within an elder’s Circle of Care don’t agree on a best method of care, through conciliation, empathy and cooperation.
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Describe common ways in which elders may suffer abuse and the role of the facilitator in identifying, reporting and preventing abuse.
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Identify the differences between legal capacity and medical capacity.
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List the psychosocial and cultural issues that should be factored into the creation of an Elder’s Life Plan.
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Describe the circumstances under which an individual is disqualified from acting as a Facilitator in an Elder Care Discussion due to conflicts of interest.​​
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Provide elder care facilitation services as part of a mental health practice or as a separate elder care facilitation practice.
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Define caregiver burnout and give examples of how caregivers can be supported to present depletion of their time and resources.
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Teach elders and the parties in their circle of care how to secure resources and advice about issues that impact an elder’s social, psychological, medical and legal.