title: Elder mediation in theory and practice: study results from a national caregiver mediation demonstration project.
abstract: Mediation is a process through which a third party facilitates discussion among disputing parties to help them identify interests and ideally reach an amicable solution. Elder mediation is a growing subspecialty to address conflicts involving older adults, primarily involving caregiving or finances. Mediation is theorized to empower participants but critics argue that it can exacerbate power imbalances among parties and coerce consensus. These contested claims are examined through study of a national caregiver mediation demonstration project. Study implications underscore the importance of gerontological social work expertise to ensure the empowerment of vulnerable older adults in mediation sessions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, USA. alexandra.crampton@marquette.edu
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crampton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003068:Coercion; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017008:Negotiating; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012947:Social Work; D014481:United States