DeLila Bergan

Elder Law Attorney, Bioethicist, and Mediator specializing in Aging Issues

Mediator · Attorney

Aging isn’t always simple. Even the closest of families may find themselves at odds over critical aging-related choices. Older adults and their family members may disagree about: 1) plans for care; 2) whether it is time for an older adult to move from the family home and, if so, to where; 3) whether the older adult is a safe driver; 4) plans for financing long-term care; 5) the fair division of opportunities for family members to provide assistance; 6) whether a guardian/conservator is needed and, if so, who should serve; 7) how best to meet the needs of an adult with disabilities; and 8) distribution of estate assets after a death. Families and senior care professionals may disagree over the quality of services provided or the billing for those services. Residents in senior housing may have conflicts with management or other residents. At AIM Aging Issues Mediation, we help families stop fighting. Our eldercare mediators serve as neutral facilitators to help parties talk with each other, listen to each other and move forward in a respectful fashion to find mutually acceptable solutions to their conflicts. We help parties build consensus, share ownership of their problems and develop realistic solutions to meet the challenges facing older, ill or disabled adults today. DeLila Bergan practiced as an elder law attorney for many years before transitioning to eldercare mediation. She worked with clients who were preparing wills, trust, or powers of attorney and with those applying for governmental benefits (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA. She assisted families struggling with dementia and guided them through the guardianship/conservatorship process. As a court-appointed guardian and conservator, she protected the rights of elderly clients and assisted them with both care and financial decisions. She worked with clients who had lost a loved one to probate estates and transfer assets. She worked with clients and Adult Protective Services to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. Those experiences deepened her understanding of the issues facing aging, ill and disabled adults and family caregivers. Ms. Bergan is also a bioethicist with a special focus on aging and end-of-life issues. This training in medical ethics and patient rights complements her legal background.