Elder Mediation Workshop

Course overview

This workshop was designed to introduce the process of Elder Mediation and Shared Family Decision Making (EM&SFDM) to mental health professionals. When the workshop is complete you will have a clear understanding of this unique protocol and the challenges and rewards that this specialized, emerging practice can provide. During the workshop the participants make a significant contribution to the learning experience as we discuss the landscape of elder law, elder affairs, care-giving, care management, elder services, and family dynamics. Elder Mediation and Shared Family Decision Making (EM&SFDM) is an emerging practice that is an especially important trend in Florida where our population is among the oldest in the country. The EM&SFDM protocols are conducted in order to help seniors and their adult children resolve conflicts. As such, the practitioner who is skilled in these processes can add an additional stream of revenue, while making a real contribution. Issues covered during EM&SFDM can include: care-giver issues, living arrangements, financial and estate planning, economics and bill-paying, medical decisions, long term care planning, dividing of personal property and heirlooms, communication, driving, the effects on a healthy spouse/step-parent/next spouse, guardianship, wills, estates, trusts, taxes and inheritance, public benefit planning, second marriages and step-families, closely held and family business interests, bio-ethical issues, end-of-life decisions, and funeral and burial decisions. This workshop takes place over four days, each day for four hours, on Zoom.