Ageing parents effect on adult childrens’ relationships
As our parents age, their care needs can place unexpected pressure on our own relationships. This real-life story reveals how competing responsibilities, family dynamics, and dementia contributed to the breakdown of a marriage, and why early planning and mediation can help families avoid conflict before it becomes a crisis.
Single… again
Later-life transitions after the death of a partner can place enormous emotional and practical strain on families. Elder mediation helps parents and adult children navigate difficult conversations, reduce conflict, and make informed decisions together, supporting healthier communication and preventing family relationships from breaking down during times of significant change.
Superannuation and Elder Abuse
Superannuation laws may unintentionally allow perpetrators of elder abuse to benefit after a victim’s death. A new government consultation paper aims to address this gap. This article explores the issue, the risks for families, and why reform is needed to prevent injustice in how superannuation death benefits are distributed.
How does Elder Facilitation help?
Elder facilitation guides families through a parent’s later-life decisions, covering capacity, finances, legal responsibilities, and aged care options. Unlike mediation, it prevents disputes by providing clarity, shared understanding, and informed planning, helping families act confidently and in the best interests of their loved ones before crises arise.
Aged Care – A Milliner’s Delight
New aged care legislation has quietly created a complex maze of decision-makers and supporters. While designed to protect residents’ rights, this growing web of legal “hats” risks increasing family conflict, confusion for providers, and disputes over who truly holds authority in critical care decisions — especially as Registered Supporters are introduced.
Impoverished Planning
Qualifying for the age pension isn’t always straightforward. From gifting rules to deprivation traps, even good intentions can affect your eligibility. Learn how careful planning, and the right advice, can help you secure pension benefits while avoiding costly mistakes that could impact your retirement income.
What is elder facilitation?
Ageing isn’t a smooth or predictable journey, it’s shaped by unexpected events that challenge families to balance care, independence, and planning. Too often, we wait for crisis to strike before making important decisions about our parents’ wellbeing. Elder Facilitation is a proactive approach that brings families together to discuss future needs; care, finances, accommodation, and roles, before problems arise. These guided sessions empower families with clarity, unity, and confidence to face the future with courage and compassion.
My 10 top tips to avoid the ageing parent trap
Retirement should be your time to enjoy freedom, yet ageing parents can quickly turn it into a trap of worry, conflict, and financial strain. Avoiding the Ageing Parent Trap offers real-life stories, practical strategies, and 10 essential tips to help you plan ahead, protect relationships, and avoid family crises.
Are certain parents more important than others?
When ageing parents need care, tough choices can strain even the strongest relationships. Max and Monica faced competing loyalties to their mums, leading to conflict, aged care placement, and divorce. Their story shows the cost of avoiding hard conversations early—and how mediation could have offered a better path forward.
Why doesn’t anyone whistle anymore?
Once a sign of cheer, whistling today has a different meaning—whistleblowing. In cases of elder abuse, neighbours are often the first to know. In Queensland, the law offers some protection to those who speak up, but the decision remains a moral one: is silence more costly than disclosure?