This short article is about families hiring an "elder mediator." "The mediator acts as a neutral third party, helping families and caregivers — and sometimes even medical providers and estate lawyers — make unified decisions about elder care." In the example in the article, the caregiver is a privately-hired person outside the family." They charge between $150 and $500 an hour. Two websites are mentioned as listing elder mediators:

* National Eldercare Mediation Network at eldercaremediators.com (click on "Locate a Mediator" on left)
* Mediate.com (click on "Find Mediators" on left)

The article highlights the fact that often adult children are not in agreement about the care of a parent. "It is no surprise to caregivers that as parents age, longstanding tensions can erupt into family discord. A 2001 study published in Conflict Resolution Quarterly found that close to 40 percent of adult children caring for a parent described 'serious conflict' with a sibling, frequently the result of one sibling shouldering the bulk of caregiving responsibility."

Here's a link to the article:

http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010 ... an-umpire/

The New Old Age: Caring and Coping
The New York Times
October 25, 2010, 11:25 AM
When the Family Needs an Umpire
By Joshua Tapper