Earlier this month, Slate.com ran an article on Elder Mediation, titled: “The Ties That Blind — It’s Tough enough making decisions about elderly parents; What if you don’t like the siblings you have to agree with?” The article quotes experienced elder mediators who talk about the types of sibling and adult family conflict that are so common as families grapple with the challenges of aging.
One interesting statistic from an unnamed source states that 22 percent of adults with siblings consider their relationship “apathetic” or downright “hostile.”
It’s easy to see how a relationship that is already far from ideal is severely stressed when siblings must attempt to come together on issues regarding a parent’s care, transportation, living arrangements, finances, or dying wishes — or all of the above.
