As a service to our members and the general public, the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation is sharing the following announcement. MCFM is not responsible for the content of this announcement and is not a sponsor of the program or programs described in this announcement.

*** Online Training Announcement from Elder Decisions^® ***
 
Elder / Adult Family Mediation Training 
A Program for Mediators Interested in Serving Elders / Adult Families

Tuesday/Thursday afternoons (23 hours) – ONLINE
November 28 to December 14, 2023
(November 28 and 30 and December 5, 7, 12, and 14, 2023)
Half Days (12:15 to 5:00 PM Eastern)
 

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

Registration Fee:  $1,500 (see below for scholarships and discounts)

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 any mediators and/or attorneys who are Seniors, Students, Current Community Mediation Volunteers, or 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.

 
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. 

** Past trainees have successfully applied for state-specific Continuing Legal Education credits; we are happy to help with these applications (an additional fee may apply). Please inquire for details.

Visit website for more information and to register:
http://www.elderdecisions.com/pg19.cfm or
https://agreementresources.com/elder-mediation-training/