Elder Decisions®
Lead Trainers


Arline Kardasis
and
Crystal Thorpe

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Guest Experts

In 2023:

Steven M. Cohen
Elder Law Attorney
Rubin and Rudman LLP

Anna Pollard, LICSW
Director of Clinical Services
LifeCare Advocates

 
Malya Kurzweil Levin
Senior Staff Attorney
The Weinberg Center for Elder Justice

 
Beth Polner Abrahams
Elder Law Attorney
Polner Abrahams Law Firm

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Past Guest Experts Have Included

Jeffrey Bloom
Harry Margolis
Elder Law Attorneys
Margolis & Bloom


William J. Brisk
Elder Law Attorney
Law Office of William J. Brisk

 

Rebecca Benson
Elder Law Attorney


Emily B. Saltz, LICSW
Founder
LifeCare Advocates

 

Kate Granigan, LICSW
Chief Executive Officer
LifeCare Advocates
 

Jennifer Pilcher
Ph.D., CMC
Clear Guidance, LLC
 

Dianne Savastano
BS in Nursing, MBA
Principal of Healthassist
 

Suzanne Modigliani
LICSW, CMC
Geriatric Care Manager
 

Susan Lewin
MSW, LICSW, CMC
Geriatric Care Manager
Generations, All About Elders
 

Audrey Zabin
MED, LSW, CMC
Geriatric Care Manager
AZA Care Management and Home Care
 

Hon. John Maher (ret.)
Former Admin. Judge
NH Probate Courts

 

 

Meredith Levine
LMSW, Elder Justice Specialist
The Weinberg Center for Elder Justice

Tristan Sullivan-Wilson Staff Attorney 
The Weinberg Center for Elder Justice

Glendalee Olivera
LMSW, ASW-G
Senior Elder Justice Specialist
The Weinberg Center for Elder Justice

 
Register Below


 

Elder / Adult Family Mediation Training
A Program for Mediators Interested in Serving Elders/Adult Families
 

June 2023 - Online  
Tuesdays and Thursdays (23 Hours)
June 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, and 22, 2023
12:15 to 5:00 PM Eastern
(Details Below)

or

November-December 2023 - Online  
Tuesdays and Thursdays (23 Hours)
November 28, 30; December 5, 7, 12, and 14, 2023
12:15 to 5:00 PM Eastern
(Details Below)

 

For a mobile-friendly version of this training information and registration form,
visit our Agreement Resources, LLC website, here

 

Approved under Part 146 by the NY State Unified Court System’s
Office of ADR Programs for Additional Mediation Training*


 


Join Us

We are excited to bring our flagship training in Elder / Adult Family Mediation online, including the interactive components, guest experts, small group exercises, role plays, and rich discussions that have made it such a positive experience for past participants. Over more than a decade, this course has benefited from the feedback of hundreds of participants who have attended in person, and our online 20+ hour programs have been very well received.  

We have prepared this course specifically as an online training designed to foster participant engagement, learning, and connection, and have structured each day to allow for appropriate breaks for the comfort of our class members. Past participants have enjoyed a strong sense of community during our trainings, and this live online event weaves opportunities for connection into its design. We look forward to having you join us.
 

About the Training

This live online training teaches mediators specialized skills and techniques for mediating adult family conversations (in-person and/or online) around issues such as living arrangements, caregiving, driving, family communication, medical care, Powers of Attorney / Health Care Proxies / Guardianship / Conservatorship, financial planning, estate planning, family real estate, and personal property distribution. 

The skills, techniques, and principles discussed in the training are transferable to mediation in other contexts, and past participants have often remarked about the mediation "gems" they have received and "aha moments" they have experienced that have helped deepen their mediation work. Topics and components include:

The Field of Elder / Adult Family Mediation

  • Presenting Issues
  • Common Hurdles
  • Strategies for Intake and Convening Family Members
  • Using Private Caucuses in Advance of Joint Mediation
  • Working with Large, Dispersed Family Groups
  • Managing Multiple Stakeholders and Multiple Issues
  • Including the "Voice" of the Elder
  • Ethical Concerns, Including Capacity, Financial Disclosure, Power Imbalances and More
  • Considerations Regarding Remote Mediation via Videoconferencing

Challenges of Aging

  • Mental & Physical Effects of Aging
  • Maintaining Independence
  • Coping with Loss
  • Caregiving and Aging Families
  • Long Term Care Options for Elders

Legal Planning

  • Planning for Financial Management
  • Medical Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Costs, and Options for Paying for Care
  • Asset Protection
  • Guardianship and Alternatives

Skill-Building Components

  • Mediating via Zoom Videoconferencing
  • Small Group Exercises
  • Lively, Interactive Presentations
  • Guest Experts in Elder Law and Gerontology
  • Trainers’ "Fishbowl" Demonstration
  • Multi-Party Role Plays Featuring “True-to-Life” Scenarios
  • Extensive Training Manual to Support Your Ongoing Practice



Testimonials

"You offered a great training, and one that opened windows both into eldercare practice and your inclusive, evolving approach to mediation. You are trailblazers and I've already thought of ways to incorporate a number of your approaches into certain circumstances that may arise more generally in mediation. So, again, all my gratitude."
     Martin Applebaum, Mediator, Attune Mediation, NYC

"Thank you for an excellent training. The material was comprehensive and the exercises were rich in opportunities for expression and learning."
     Mark Kleiman, Esq.
     Founder, Community Mediation Services, Jamaica, NY

"This exceeded my expectations! The Elder Decisions® Mediation Training makes a compelling case for why we need to step up to this national challenge and makes it possible for mediators to step into these critical but delicate family conversations. I got a great return on my investment: information-dense, practical, inspiring -- allowing me to extend my company's services to meet this growing demand."
     Marina A. Piscolish, Ph.D.
     MAPping Change, LLC
     Kailua, Hawaii

“…a fabulous, very enriching training experience that I will always remember.”
     Catherine (Kate) Hannibal, Esq.
     Mediation Works, Inc., Brooklyn, NY

"Usually when one goes to a conference or training it is considered successful if one takes away one memorable piece of information from the whole event. In my case my expectations were higher given that I had a return trip of some 40 hours travelling time. I found all the presenters so knowledgeable and so passionate about their topics that I would have considered the training a huge success had I only been able to listen to any single one of them! This training was an unmitigated success for the organisers and I could not praise their work enough, from choosing their topics to their choice of presenters, this was indeed a formidable and professional effort that they can rightly be very proud of. I will certainly be looking to attend another of their events."
     David Bogan, International Mediation Services, Auckland, New Zealand
     Author of Avoid Retirement & Stay Alive Harper Collins & McGraw Hill 2007
     and What's Keeping You Awake at Night Harper Collins 2010

“Elder Decisions®’ Advanced Elder Mediation Training...was excellent; actually the best I have ever experienced. It was well organized (and) the subject matter was completely covered. (This was) the most sequentially programmed and clearly presented (training) I have yet attended.”
     Jane Thayer, Ph.D.
     Mediator, Co-author of Elderescence: The Gift of Longevity
     Martha’s Vineyard, MA

"Thank you all for the excellent program last week - the presentations were excellent, the materials just the type of thing that I will use in the future as a reference tool. Obviously you have devoted much time, thought, and effort to creating this workshop - your work has paid off for the participants! "
     Jane Beddall, M.A., J.D., Dovetail Resolutions, LLC, New Haven, CT

"The training program was the best I have experienced over the years - so much information to process - I'm still working on it."
     Selma Bengis, Mediator, Cape Cod, MA

"I'm still raving to everyone how valuable I found the training and how I enjoyed all of the presenters."
     Jennifer Weintraub, Attorney/Mediator, New York City
 

Registration Fee   
 
$1,500.  Includes course materials.  (For registrants located outside the United States, please contact us to make arrangements regarding shipping materials, which will require additional time and incur additional cost.)
 
Scholarships
 
We welcome and want to support greater diversity in the field, and offer scholarships for Black and BIPOC participants to register at a reduced rate of 50% off the current rate at time of registration.  
 
Financial Aid Policy
 
20% discount available from rate at time of registration (including BIPOC rate) for Seniors, Students, Current Community Mediation Volunteers, and/or anyone for whom the regular rate would pose a hardship.

Please include in the Comments section of the registration form your request for a BIPOC discount of 50% and/or a Financial Aid discount of 20%.

Need additional assistance?  Very limited work study may be available, for approximately one spot per training, based on projects available at the time; please inquire for details.


Cancellations / Transfers 

Cancellations must be made in writing. A full refund is available up to 21 days before the start of a program for registrations that have not been previously transferred. Cancellations received between 21 and 14 days before the start of a program will receive a refund less a $100 fee, or registrants may make a one-time transfer to another program within a one year period without incurring a fee. No refunds or transfers will be made if a cancellation is made within 14 days of the start of a program. Registrants who transfer their registration more than one time will be charged a $100 administrative fee for each transfer. Transferred registrations are not eligible for refunds. Elder Decisions reserves the right to cancel a program for any reason and issue a full refund. 
 

Location 

The training will take place via Zoom videoconferencing. Please contact us at (617) 621-7009 x29, or training@ElderDecisions.com, with questions.


Prerequisite

Completion of prior basic mediation training is strongly preferred. Registrants who have not completed basic mediation training are required to participate in a 90 minute “Introduction to Mediation Tutorial" with Elder Decisions (for an additional fee), and will need to take basic mediation training prior to providing mediation services. (Contact us for more information and to schedule this tutorial at a mutually convenient time.)


Elements of Participation

By registering you acknowledge that you have read the following elements of participation: 

  • This is an interactive training and we’ll be asking you to keep your camera on during most of class time. Please register for a time when you’ll be able to be fully present and engaged - for your own benefit and that of the class.  
  • The ability to see nine (9) or more participants on a Zoom screen at once will be important for mediation role plays; for this reason, please join the training on either a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet.
  • Portions of the training may be recorded with the permission of trainees.  

Let us know if you have questions or wish to discuss any of these elements. We welcome a conversation and are looking forward to a collaborative learning environment!


Who Can Benefit From This Program

This advanced level program may benefit all professionals who work with seniors and their families to address conflicts that arise in elder care and family decision-making, such as mediators, attorneys, Aging Life Care Professionals, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, social workers, and nurses.

Continuing Education

* This training is approved under Part 146 by the New York State Unified Court System's Office of ADR Programs for 16 hours of Additional Mediation Training.  Please note that:
(1) Pursuant to Part 146, court-based mediation rosters require both a combination of mediation training and experience mediating; 
(2) Acceptance on court rosters depends on a court’s need for mediators at any given time and may include a court’s need for mediators with specific case-type training or experience and mediation experience; 
(3) Final placement on any court roster is in the discretion of the local Administrative Judge. 
 

Sponsorship

This program is sponsored by the Rhode Island Mediators Association: http://www.rimediators.org. Participation is open to mediators from any state or country.
 

Presented By

Presented by Elder Decisions®, a division of Agreement Resources, LLC - A team of experienced mediators who work with seniors and their families to facilitate communication and proactive planning, and to address conflicts that arise in elder care and family decision-making. If you are interested in this training or future trainings, please call (617) 621-7009 x29, email training@ElderDecisions.com, or register below.


Registration Form

Full Name (as you would like it to appear on your certificate of attendance): (Required)
Preferred First Name / Nickname: (Required)
Phone: (Required)
Email: (Required)
Mailing Address for Receiving Training Materials (please also indicate if home or work): (R)
Professional Designation / Job Title:
Company / Employer Name:
Training Dates: (R)
Continuing Education Requested?
Additional Mediation Training under Part 146 (NY State)
Other (Please inquire in comments, below)
Payment Type:
Paying Online - Please continue to payment page after submitting this form
Mailing Check - Registration is not complete until payment is received
Purchase Order - Provide details below
Have you received basic mediation training?
Yes
No
  (R)
What type(s) of mediation experience have you had (small claims, civil, parent-child, divorce, elder, etc.)?
Please acknowledge that you have read the "Elements of Participation" above regarding engagement, technology, and possible recording.
I acknowledge that I have read the Elements of Participation.
  (R)
How did you hear of this training?
Comments or Questions: (Please include payment details if your name will not be on the check or credit card payment. Thank you.)
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Please note:  If you wish to keep a copy of this form or are mailing in a check, please print this page before your press "submit." 

You may mail your check (payable to Agreement Resources, LLC) to: 

Elder Decisions®, a division of Agreement Resources, LLC
30 Walpole Street
Norwood, MA  02062

Please include a copy of the printout with your check.  Thank you.



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