Do Midlife Siblings in a Dysfunctional Family Need a Mediator?

Are you and your midlife siblings from a dysfunctional family? When a midlife sibling group faces a parent care crisis, if they are a dysfunctional family- they face almost insurmountable issues. To overcome this Hindu Kush, they need a family meeting managed by a mediator
Dysfunctional families are conflictive. They are incompatible and fragmented. Family members and midlife siblings historically argue constantly, even over relatively unimportant issues and often cannot even come to an agreement over uncomplicated matters. The family nest, from which these siblings sprang may have been a troubled one, in which dissension, rivalry and resentment were rife. Such rickety parental architecture can last a lifetime. Old conflicts between siblings or among adult children and the aging parent often resurface during a crisis period with aging parents
The family has a very difficult time making changes as a group. Any change in this fragile family, like the decline of an aging parent, is as overwhelming as a rogue wave. As a sibling group, adapting to change has always been nearly impossible.What’s more, they are often easily shattered both as individuals and as a family unit, and usually have a history of emotional cut-offs, with siblings or family members not speaking to each other for years at a time.
Consider a family meeting when your aging parents face a crisis that calls for a sibling team meeting. Before you do contact An aging life or geriatric care manager , who may also be a mediator or can refer you to a mediator as part of their services.

Find out more about how to run a family meeting  and intervention with dysfunctional families in my book Handbook of Geriatric Care Management 4^th edition