Helping Relationships With Older Adults. Adelle M. Williams

of embarrassment when confronted with one’s youth and inexperience

       Comfort in collaboration with family and other providers (shared authority)

       Focus on function, rehabilitation, and quality of life rather than on survival

       Capacity to anticipate the older adult’s needs and advocate for care

       Examining various causes of illness and disability

       Appreciation for cultural as well as physiological diversity

       Awareness of greater hetereogeneity among the aged (flexibility)

       Willingness to physically interact (touch) and give concrete health advice

       Capacity to tolerate dependency yet press for optimum autonomy

       Ability to lead as well as follow in the person’s care and decisions

       Ongoing commitment to clinical education

      Additionally, it should be noted that older clients may not wish to speak with a counselor. Older clients may approach the helping professionally independently of others, they may be accompanied or coerced by family members to meet with a helping practitioner, or a crisis may require a referral by another concerned professional. Reluctance by resistant clients can be overcome by creating an atmosphere of trust, openness, and respect for the older client, while simultaneously conveying knowledge of the issues that he or she faces.

      It is clear from the earlier discussions of aging issues that age-related problems exist and will continue to exist. The probability of increased physical and mental health or emotional issues may occur with major life transitions. These age-related problems need not be viewed as impediments to the helping relationship; they should instead be viewed as opportunities to learn strategies to circumvent the challenges. Older adults are capable of successful aging. They are resilient and are able to maintain an exceptional quality of life with increased health and engagement with others. However, mental health practitioners may need to assist this group in developing these characteristics. This requires such attributes as being flexible and open, understanding, and collaborative and having an ongoing commitment to clinical education and the well-being of older clients. Together, older adults and their mental health practitioners can ensure a good relationship and realize the goal of successful aging.

      Keystones

       Older adults are capable, competent, and resilient.

       Maintaining one’s health involves exercise, good nutrition, and active social engagement.

       Intimacy is important to older adults, despite unanticipated limitations.

       Aging successfully is a subjective experience and continues to be a goal that elders should strive for.

       Older adults experience stressors that require intervention, though they continue to underutilize the mental health system.

       Professional counselors are challenged to increase their knowledge and skills to effectively work with elderly clients.

       Successful counselors are those who build trust, create an atmosphere of warmth, and acknowledge both the challenges and strengths brought to the therapeutic relationship.

      Additional Resources

      Print Based

      Charness, N., & Schaie, K. W. (2003). Impact of technology on successful aging. New York, NY: Springer.

      Haber, D. (2010). Health promotion and aging (5th ed.). New York, NY: Springer.

      Hill, R. D. (2005). Positive aging: A guide for mental health professionals and consumers. New York, NY: W.W. Norton.

      Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J., & Sherrade M. (Eds.). (2001). Productive aging: Concepts and challenges. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

      Wykle, M. L., Whitehouse, P. J., & Morris, D. L., (2005). Successful aging throughout the lifespan: Intergenerational issues in health. New York, NY: Springer.

      Web Based

       www.agingwithdignity.org/

       www.cdc.gov/aging

       www.geron.org

       www.healthfinder.gov

       www.healthinaging.org

       www.ncoa.org

       www.nihseniorhealth.gov

      References

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      American Psychological Association (APA). (2004). Report of the association: Guidelines for psychological practice with older adults [Electronic Version]. American Psychologist, 59, 236–260. doi: 10.1037/0003-066Y.59.4.236

       Anderson, G., & Horvath, J. (2004). The growing burden of chronic disease in America. Public Health Reports, 119, 263–270.

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       Bono, E., Sala, E., Hancock, R., Gunnell, C., & Parisi, L. (2007). Gender, older people and exclusion: A gendered review and secondary analysis of the data. Essex, UK: Institute for Social and Economic Research.

       Bortz, W. (1990). Use it or lose it. Runner’s World, 25, 55–58.

       Boyer, J. M. (2007). Creativity matters: The arts and aging toolkit. Retrieved http://artsandaging.org

       Butler, F. R., & Baghi, H. (2008). Using the Internet to facilitate positive attitudes of college students toward aging and working with older adults. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 6(2), 175–189.

       Carr, K., Weir, P., Azar, D., & Azar, N. (2013). Universal design: A step toward successful aging. Journal of Aging Research. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/324624

       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). Healthy aging for older adults. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/aging

       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & the Merck Company Foundation. (2007). The state of aging and health in America. Whitehouse Station, NJ: The Merck Company Foundation.

       Cermin, P. A., Lysack, C., & Lichtenberg, P. A. (2011). A comparison of self-rated and objectively measured successful aging constructs in an urban sample of African American older adults. Clinical Gerontologist: The Journal of Aging and Mental Health, 34(2), 89–102.