Persons aged 65 and older are the fastest growing part of the population, and many families confront sometimes difficult decisions about care-giving, housing, health care, estate planning, and end of life planning for aging parents and other family members. Bob Rhudy, president of Senior Mediation and Decision-Making, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, discusses the types of services that senior (or “elder”) mediators provide to help families manage and resolve conflict in these matters.

Robert J. Rhudy is in private practice as a lawyer, mediator, facilitator and consultant, and has been president of Senior Mediation and Decision-Making, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland since 2007. He is a past chair of the Association for Conflict Resolution's Elder Mediation Section (2008-2010). Bob developed and directed the Maryland Senior Mediation Project during 2005-2009 and created and directed the Maryland Court of Special Appeals Office of Mediation during 2009-2012. He has provided senior mediation training and consulting around the United States and Canada.

Additional Information: The Center for Social Gerontology Elder Mediation Today: Manual and Resource Guide

Tracy Culbreath has a passion for conflict resolution that began after pursuing her Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Central Florida in Interpersonal Organizational Communication. After observing the consequences of poor communication on a personal and professional level, she realized she needed additional skills to address the conflicts that often resulted from communication breakdowns. In 2014 Tracy graduated from the University of Baltimore with a Master’s of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Management.

Tracy is an Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator at the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). Tracy also serves as a conflict coach, mediator, and promotes conflict resolution processes through trainings, outreach initiatives, and continuing education for conflict resolution practitioners.