On October 22, 2009 I gave a presentation on Crisis Intervention in Elder Mediation at VNA Community Healthcare in Guildford, CT. This presentation was a “return engagement” in a sense: in April, I had given an overview of elder mediation, including how it fits into mediation as a field and how it fits into the area of eldercare, elder services, or services for the aging.
This time around I was asked to address more specifically what, exactly, professionals can do when they are faced with a conflict regarding care of an elderly person that must be resolved in a very short time. We had a lively, interactive discussion enhanced by the perspectives of VNA staff, elderly housing experts, geriatric care experts, attorneys, and others.
My goal was to give these professionals two sets of tools. First, what tools can a professional use to move a difficult situation towards resolution. Second, how would a professional know when would it make sense to involve an elder mediator to help resolve a crisis. I hope that the participants felt these goals were reached.
