![]() Sibling fights can be minor, temporary disagreements over care or major legal battles that grow from unresolved issues. However, advance planning and good communication with your siblings will help avoid these scenarios. If you disagree about end-of-life plans for a loved one it is possible to have an ugly court battle if they pass away without any clear instructions as testamentary documents are not always the final word in disputes between heirs of estates and guardianship matters if there are no written guidelines set forth by the deceased party themselves when able. There are many situations that can cause sibling fights over aging parents. Sometimes the past is to blame for how things went off track, but it's difficult to sort through everything involved in these disagreements. Before reviewing your parents’ end-of-life plans, it is important to consider potential scenarios. For example, what if they disagree about whether or not you should have access? In this case, try asking logical questions such as “What do you think a responsible adult would say in that situation?” This will help set boundaries and keep things cordial and open. How to End Sibling Fights Over Parents Who are Aging Instead of taking sides, the best way to resolve a conflict between siblings is by trying your hardest to be impartial. For example, if one sibling started it or escalated things into an argument first then you should try and end that fight before it becomes even more heated up. Here are some steps on how this can happen:
Is it an issue with the type or quality of care being provided, or who is providing it? One thing to keep in mind is that you can increase your parent’s independence and ensure they are living comfortably. If there are specific care concerns, it would be best for the family to come together as a team so everyone understands what needs to happen each day with their aging parents. As your parents are aging, it may become necessary for them to live in a senior living facility. Make sure that you discuss with the family how they feel about this and if their current care is satisfactory before making any decisions regarding placement. When it comes to senior living placement, there can be a lot of tension between siblings. Some may favor the move while others have concerns about cost and who is going to pay for it all. What does the aging parent want? Who is their primary caregiver in the family? Do they feel adequately cared for or are they experiencing burnout that led them to look into options like senior living placement in order take care of themselves as well? Do siblings avoid spending money on their elderly parents because they would like to inherit the cash? You might be surprised to find out that care concerns are often a cover for worries about inheritance and cash flow. Sadly, some siblings won’t be in favor of spending more money on care. When a parent gets older, they may make decisions that their children disapprove of. This could be due to unresolved regret or guilt from the past. Sometimes it is also because siblings have been estranged for such a long time and need more control over what happens since there isn't much communication between them anymore either. Is the conflict about control? When an aging parent’s medical needs start to increase, and they need more help, control issues can emerge . Sometimes control is about past regrets , shame , or guilt and asserting this form of power helps cope with those emotions in some way . Other times , however , sibling estrangement might play into these dynamics as well when one feels left out by other family members. 1. Get Together as a Group to work out Conflicts In family conflict, you should include everyone even if it means talking through video. It is better to have all members present than a few in person and others not involved at all. If your parent has health problems that prevent their involvement, then they are exempt from the discussion unless there are other siblings who can take over this responsibility for them during such times of distress. 2. Put Together an Agenda for Discussion To make the conversation productive, have an agenda that guides you. This will prevent derailment of conversations into areas not helpful to solving problems. It is normal for people to want to vent frustrations, but if everyone spends their time complaining about issues without trying resolutions this won't be effective in resolving your conflicts. While sticking with the plan allow others enough breathing room so they're able express themselves fully and feel heard by all parties involved at hand. 3. Take Notes for Future Reference If a meeting is not recorded, everyone can leave having different recollections of the events that occurred and what was decided. This phenomenon is similar to telephone game where people form a circle and whisper in each other's ears but say something totally different by the end because they cannot remember exactly what it was originally said. 4. Set Reasonable Goals In the heat of conflict, it can be hard to reach an agreement. It may not even be possible for all disputes and fighting related to these arguments will come down. The best thing you can do is reduce the flame and temperature by setting small goals on your agenda as a group. If everyone in this meeting agrees on one plan or decision, then that's progress! You could always return later once tempers have cooled off a bit more when tackling other issues about what needs attention at home.. 5. Be Aware of Caregiver Burnout When siblings fight, it's often because the primary caregiver is worn out. It can be hard for other siblings to offer help and sometimes consider additional outside paid support when they're resistant to change. But staying in their comfort zone of 'the same old thing' isn't ideal either. 6. Consider Using a Third Party Mediator Geriatric care managers use their expertise to identify important areas of concern in providing for the needs of aging adults. The report they provide can help families better understand how these issues should be addressed and what resources are available to address them, which helps reduce stress both on family members as well as senior loved ones living with disabilities or chronic illness. Geriatric care managers also offer advice about day-to-day activities that a senior may need assistance performing but don't require an immediate visit from home health professionals such as bathing, dressing ,or cooking nutritious meals . This detailed information allows individuals considering long term options like assisted living communities or homes where there is hourly support staff present at all times get realistic ideas regarding costs associated with those services allowing more informed decision making. Conflict Prevention is Better than Conflict Resolution 7. Do Advance Planning In order to prevent future sibling conflict, advanced planning is a tool that can be used. Advanced planning consists of several components including agreement and decision-making which are crucial in preventing fighting among siblings. Advance directives, often called a living will or health care proxy depending on where you live, give family decision-making authority when someone is no longer able to speak for themselves. The second part of an advance directive allows the legal right to obtain medical records and get medical information regarding your treatment decisions before becoming incapacitated by illness. Advance directives can be given different names in each state/country but they all serve the same purpose: giving loved ones power over healthcare decisions if one becomes unable (due to incapacity) to make their own choices about it first hand. Advance Directives also allow individuals access into another person's personal health record & any other relevant data gathering prior to being rendered incapable. A living will is a great way to avoid family conflict when end-of-life decisions need to be made. A living will lets your parent indicate what they want and provides you with something specific to follow. That helps prevent fighting among siblings. A will can save your parents a lot of stress and grief. If they don’t have one written, the process of settling their estate could be difficult for everyone involved. It is important to urge them to write a will as soon as possible so that you know who would be in charge if something were ever happens with both mom or dad gone. If there's no plan put into place when death strikes, it may turn out to be quite stressful on all parties involved--including siblings! You should encourage your folks right now while they're healthy enough (and before any new family members are born) that writing up an estate arrangement document would go far beyond what anyone thought was necessary at this point. If you are worried about your parents' future, talk with them at a very early stage on what to do when their cognitive abilities decline. These talks aren't easy but it is better than going into crisis mode and having no idea how to handle the situation. Visit assisted living communities in advance of needing one so that they can get familiarized with where they will be residing if ever needed down the road. Discuss various care options as well such as home health aides or nursing homes depending on need triggers like declining mobility or memory loss. Discussing finances and insurance coverage can help a family handle tough situations. If you have financial power of attorney, it gives someone the ability to make decisions if necessary. It's important for your siblings to be on board with this process so there aren't any disagreements later on about what needs done or who should take care of things like bills and taxes. 8. Communication is Essential Siblings sometimes fight because they're not included in healthcare decisions. This usually happens when a sibling doesn't feel like the primary caregiver is sharing information, so it's best to share any relevant medical updates with everyone involved. It is easy to develop resentment when a sibling finds out some critical piece of medical information late or wasn't ever informed. To avoid this, share crucial information via email or group calendar system where everyone can see what's happening and contribute their own input. Maybe you're not the only one with a family of remote siblings. When thinking about how to add them in, consider giving your sibling some tasks they can complete online, such as researching care options or finding new information from there. 9. Know End-Of-Life Wishes of Parents Even with a living will, it is necessary to discuss end-of-life wishes which can include your parents' preferences regarding cremation, burial, funeral or graveside services as well. However sad of a truth that may be; sibling conflict and fighting during someone's death can continue even after they have passed away. This makes the issue worse because family estrangement and infighting continues long after their demise intensifying the fight within siblings too due to this happening at such an emotional time in everyone's life. The Eulogy Writers Writers of Great Eulogies for Over Thirty Years A primary source for material used in this article is from Joincake.com
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December 2024
AuthorSteve Schafer is the founder of TheEulogyWriters and the author of hundreds of heartfelt, wonderful eulogies. He lives in Texas and has been writing eulogies for well over thirty years. The articles in this blog are designed to help people through the process of losing loved ones and exploring issues in the aging process. |
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