This article reports on the “new nasty” – “inheritance syndrome” – where adult children engage in bitter disputes about the care of their elderly parents, all driven by a desire to preserve their inheritance, regardless of the needs of their aging parents. As a parent my greatest goal is to ensure my children grow into decent human beings who have loving mutual respect for each other and for my husband and me. The idea that as we age they might descend into a bitter power struggle over the care of their parents is distressing. Yet it is what I see in my daily practice. The attached article suggests families draw up “family agreements” foreshadowing how they might deal with these issues. It had me wondering are estate planners:
Raising elder care issues with their clients?
Are family agreements being widely used?
What kind of terms do they incorporate?
Should they include a requirement for family counselling, before engaging in legal disputes?

http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-new-nasty-sibling-rivalry/567/?goback=%2Egmr_4441831%2Egde_4441831_member_5798578323047071745#%2