Elder Mediation
Helping families have important conversations about ageing, care and the future
Northern Frontiers Elder Mediation provides a dispute resolution process for older people who may be finding it difficult to have important discussions about age-related issues with family members, carers or other significant people in their lives.
Mediation provides an opportunity to have these discussions with the assistance of an experienced, independent Mediator, with particular focus on ensuring that the older person's wishes, needs and preferences are heard and respected.
Our Mediators help participants communicate respectfully, identify concerns, consider different viewpoints and explore practical options for moving forward.
Northern Frontiers provides Elder Mediation Australia-wide by telephone and video, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom and FaceTime. In-person appointments may also be available by arrangement.
How can Elder Mediation assist?
Important decisions associated with ageing can affect not only an older person, but also their partner, adult children, other family members and people involved in their care.
Elder Mediation provides a structured environment in which these issues can be discussed constructively rather than allowing disagreement, assumptions or communication difficulties to escalate into ongoing family conflict.
The focus is on respectful communication and understanding. The Mediator does not make decisions for the older person or the family. Instead, participants are assisted to identify the issues, discuss concerns, make proposals and explore whether an acceptable way forward can be reached.
Elder Mediation may also provide a useful setting where an older person needs assistance having a difficult conversation or communicating an important decision to family members.
What issues can Elder Mediation help with?
Elder Mediation can assist families to discuss a wide range of age-related and family matters, including:
- future living and accommodation arrangements
- aged care and support arrangements
- healthcare and lifestyle needs
- roles and responsibilities of adult children and other family members
- family communication and ongoing conflict
- financial and property concerns
- sale of the family home or other assets
- family business and succession planning discussions
- financial arrangements associated with future care and lifestyle needs
- gifting of assets or sentimental items
- engagement of health, care and other support services
- issues involving an Enduring Power of Attorney
- concerns about future decision-making
- planning for significant changes in health or personal circumstances
- other difficult family discussions associated with ageing.
The issues relevant to your particular circumstances can be identified during your confidential Intake & Assessment session.
Does Elder Mediation provide legal, financial or medical advice?
No. Northern Frontiers provides mediation and facilitated dispute resolution services. We do not provide legal, financial, medical, capacity-assessment or aged-care advice.
Depending on the issues involved, participants may benefit from independent advice from a lawyer, financial adviser, accountant, medical practitioner, aged-care professional or another appropriately qualified specialist.
Professional advice can then help participants make informed decisions during the mediation process.
Why Choose Northern Frontiers for Elder Mediation?
We get things moving quickly
Your first step is a separate and confidential Intake & Assessment session with the Mediator, generally available within 2–3 business days of your initial enquiry.
The Intake & Assessment provides an opportunity to discuss the circumstances privately, identify the issues you would like addressed and consider whether mediation is appropriate.
Australia-wide service
Family members do not need to live in the same town, city or even the same state to participate.
Northern Frontiers provides Elder Mediation Australia-wide by telephone and video, allowing family members and other participants to join from separate locations where appropriate.
Respect for the older person's voice
An important focus of Elder Mediation is ensuring that the older person has a meaningful opportunity to express their wishes, concerns and preferences about matters affecting their life and future.
The Mediator will be focused on ensuring that the process does not simply become a discussion between other family members about what they believe is best for the older person.
Flexible mediation formats
Depending on the circumstances, mediation may take place with participants together or through separate/shuttle arrangements.
The Mediator will consider the circumstances of everyone involved, including safety, communication difficulties, power imbalances and each person's ability to participate effectively.
What if several family members are involved?
Elder Mediation is not limited to disputes between two people.
Depending on the circumstances and the Mediator's assessment, the process may involve an older person, their partner, adult children, siblings, other relatives, carers or other significant people.
The Mediator will discuss who should participate and how the process can best be structured.
What if someone does not agree to participate?
Elder Mediation is a voluntary dispute resolution process. Northern Frontiers can contact other relevant participants and invite them to take part, but they cannot be compelled to mediate through our private process.
If another person declines to participate, the Mediator can discuss possible next steps and whether legal or other professional advice may be appropriate.
Related estate or inheritance disputes
If the dispute primarily concerns a deceased estate, Will, executor, inheritance or claim against an estate, please visit our Estate Mediation page.
Ready to get started?
To enquire or book a confidential Intake & Assessment session:
Call: 1300 90 81 70
Text: 0419 531 269
Email: reception@northernfrontiers.com.au
You can also ask about our FREE 15-minute initial consultation if you would like to discuss whether Elder Mediation may be suitable before making a booking.
Elder Mediation – Frequently Asked Questions
What is Elder Mediation?
Elder Mediation is a specialised form of dispute resolution that assists older people and their families to discuss disagreements, decisions and changing circumstances associated with ageing.
An independent Mediator facilitates the conversation, helps participants identify the issues that need to be addressed and assists them to consider different options.
The Mediator does not make decisions for the family and does not determine what is best for the older person.
Who can start Elder Mediation?
An older person, their partner, adult child, family member or another person involved in the circumstances can contact Northern Frontiers to enquire about commencing an Elder Mediation process.
However, participation in private mediation is voluntary and the Mediator must also assess whether the proposed process is appropriate.
Northern Frontiers can contact other participants and invite them to take part where appropriate.
What if there are concerns about an Enduring Power of Attorney?
Elder Mediation may provide a forum for discussing concerns involving an Enduring Power of Attorney, including communication difficulties, family disagreements or practical issues surrounding how decisions are being managed.
However, a Mediator does not determine whether an attorney is acting lawfully, whether an Enduring Power of Attorney is valid, whether it should be revoked, or whether a person has legal decision-making capacity.
Those issues may require independent legal advice and, where relevant, assessment by appropriately qualified health professionals or consideration by a Court or Tribunal.
What if there are concerns about decision-making capacity?
Decision-making capacity can be complex and may depend on the particular decision that needs to be made.
The Mediator does not conduct medical or legal capacity assessments.
If capacity is genuinely in question, appropriate professional assessment or legal advice may be required before mediation proceeds or before particular decisions can be made.
The Mediator will consider whether each participant is able to understand and participate meaningfully in the mediation process.
What happens if elder abuse or mistreatment may be present?
Concerns about the abuse or mistreatment of an older person require particular care.
Abuse or mistreatment may include financial abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, physical or sexual abuse, neglect, coercion, controlling behaviour or inappropriate use of an older person's assets or authority.
Northern Frontiers considers safety, power imbalances, coercion and the older person's ability to participate freely during the Intake & Assessment process.
Mediation is not appropriate in every situation involving suspected elder abuse. Where the Mediator considers that a fair and safe mediation process cannot be conducted, mediation will not proceed or may be discontinued.
If you are concerned about elder abuse, contact 1800ELDERHelp on 1800 353 374 for information and referral. Read the Australian Government’s elder abuse information. Mediation is not a substitute for police, legal advice or safeguarding support when these are needed.
If anyone is in immediate danger or there is a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
Can Elder Mediation be used where there is no actual dispute?
Yes. Sometimes a family does not have an established dispute but needs assistance having an important or potentially difficult conversation.
In these circumstances, a facilitated family discussion may be more appropriate than formal mediation.
A facilitated discussion can provide an independent and structured forum for an older person and family members to exchange information, explain concerns and discuss significant decisions constructively.
This may be useful for discussions about accommodation, care arrangements, medical or support needs, significant lifestyle changes or future planning.
Is Elder Mediation confidential?
Elder Mediation is conducted privately and participants are asked to comply with the confidentiality arrangements applying to the mediation process.
However, confidentiality can have legal and practical limitations depending on the circumstances. Your Mediator will explain the applicable confidentiality arrangements and any limitations before mediation proceeds.
What does the Northern Frontiers Elder Mediation process involve?
Step 1 – Initial enquiry
A person contacts Northern Frontiers to discuss the proposed Elder Mediation process.
Step 2 – First Intake & Assessment
The initiating participant meets privately with the Mediator to explain the circumstances, identify relevant issues and discuss who else may need to participate.
Step 3 – Invite other participants
Where appropriate, Northern Frontiers contacts the other proposed participants and invites them to participate.
Step 4 – Separate Intake & Assessment sessions
Each participating person has the opportunity to speak privately with the Mediator before the joint process. The Mediator considers suitability, safety, power imbalances and the appropriate format for mediation.
Step 5 – Elder Mediation or facilitated discussion
If the process is assessed as appropriate, participants meet with the Mediator by telephone, video or another agreed format to discuss the identified issues and explore possible ways forward.
Step 6 – Record the outcome
Where agreement is reached, Northern Frontiers can prepare a Record of Agreement setting out the matters agreed between the participants.
Depending on the subject matter, participants may need independent legal, financial, medical or other professional advice before implementing an agreement or making it legally effective.
Is a Record of Agreement legally binding?
Not necessarily.
A Record of Agreement provides a written record of what participants agreed during mediation. Its legal effect will depend on the subject matter, the circumstances and whether additional legal documentation is required.
For example, arrangements concerning property, Enduring Powers of Attorney, estate planning or other legal rights may require separate documentation and independent legal advice.
Do I need a lawyer or another professional adviser?
Not every Elder Mediation matter requires lawyers to attend mediation, but independent professional advice can be very important depending on the issues involved.
Participants may benefit from advice from a lawyer, financial adviser, accountant, medical practitioner, aged-care professional or another specialist before or during the mediation process.
Northern Frontiers remains impartial and does not provide individual professional advice to participants.
Is Elder Mediation expensive?
Elder Mediation provides families with an opportunity to attempt to resolve issues through a structured private process before disputes escalate or require extensive professional or legal intervention.
Northern Frontiers is a private, fee-for-service provider offering personalised Elder Mediation with prompt Australia-wide appointment availability.
How soon can I get started?
Intake & Assessment appointments are generally available within 2–3 business days of your initial enquiry.
If mediation is assessed as appropriate and the other relevant participants agree to take part, a session can then be arranged once the required Intake & Assessment sessions have been completed and participants are available.
Payment information
Unless otherwise agreed, participants are responsible for their own mediation costs.
Pre-payment is required for booked sessions. Cancellation and no-show conditions apply, so please review our Terms & Conditions of Service before making your booking.
Want to find out more about Elder Mediation?
If you are unsure whether Elder Mediation is suitable for your circumstances, you are welcome to contact Reception and confidentially discuss the process before making a booking.
There is no obligation to proceed.
Call: 1300 90 81 70
Text: 0419 531 269
Email: reception@northernfrontiers.com.au
You can also contact us online or use the online chat function on this website.
Contact Northern Frontiers
Contact our Reception team to confidentially discuss your situation or find out more about any of our services.
There is no obligation to make a booking. If you are simply researching your options or are unsure which service is right for you, we are happy to answer your questions.
Northern Frontiers provides mediation and behavioural awareness programs Australia-wide by phone and video.
Call: 1300 90 81 70
Text or call: 0419 531 269
Email: reception@northernfrontiers.com.au
You can also send us a message using the enquiry form or use the online chat function on this webpage. Your enquiry will be treated confidentially. Please do not include highly sensitive information in the enquiry form.
Phone
1300 90 81 70
Mobile: 0419 531 269 (text or call)
LiveChat: If you have any questions about our services and don't have time to ring or email, feel free to use the online chat function (bottom right of this page).
Reception Opening Hours
Mon-Fri: 7.30 am – 8.00 pm. Last-minute sessions available for urgent matters. Text message 0419 531 269 for the fastest response.