Using Mediation to Manage Conflict in Long Term Care Facilities

Conflict in any location where human beings congregate is inevitable. We are all evolutionarily programmed to defend ourselves when threatened, and to protect ourselves if we believe we are being wronged, even if the perceived attack is emotional rather than physical. Seniors are no exception.

When individuals who have lived independently in their own homes for many years are thrust together with caregivers in situations over which they have only partial control, conflict may boil up. Traditionally, administrators of assisted living facilities and nursing homes have tried to work out conflicts by talking and meeting with family or other concerned parties as well as the residents themselves. Sometimes this works. At other times, however, outside help may be necessary to resolve the conflict.

Dispute resolution is a process through which conflict is resolved by consulting a neutral person to assist both parties. Dispute resolution is strongly encouraged by the courts because it is practical, because it is far cheaper than litigation and trial, and because it is successful in resolving conflict about 80% of the time, regardless of the nature of the dispute. However, in health care settings and senior care facilities, using a neutral person to assist in conflict management is rare if not nonexistent. Although dispute resolution is a familiar concept to lawyers, nurses and caregivers may only be familiar with using a neutral person to mediate a labor dispute, divorce or other court-related cases. But mediation has far broader applications than that, and it is a very useful technique to manage conflict in long-term care settings.