Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention are important areas of consideration for all counselors. While any area of counseling may be impacted by issues related to suicide, the risk of suicide associated with older adults is a growing area of concern. In the next 10 years, the entire baby boomer generation will cross into the older adult age group. This development is likely to highlight the already disproportionately higher rate of suicidal ideation and completion among older adults. Sawyer and Williams (2012) have conducted research to address this issue and to provide counselors with information for developing a comprehensive approach for working with older adults at risk of suicide. Their study focuses on Americans of at least
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Counselors must careful to examine each client’s particular view of the aging process. They should not assume or discount relevant information based simply on the age of a client. Sawyer and Williams (2012) mention numerous characteristics of older adulthood that counselors may want to explore with clients. Mortality is one of the most prominent areas of concern for many older adults. The aging process naturally leads individuals to contemplate mortality and the limits of human life. Counselors should work to help clients navigate the great variety of thoughts and emotions that may be stirred by such considerations. One helpful strategy for working through this stage of older adulthood is to guide clients in recalling and ascribing value to events across the client’s whole life span. This model is beneficial for identifying previously unknown risk factors as well as providing clients with the opportunity to generate a collection of positive memories. While the issue of mortality is the most consistent challenge related to aging, numerous other issues are also of concern. Physical, psychological, and social difficulties often develop quickly in later life and tend to be interconnected. Counselors should not be surprised if older adult clients express concerns in these areas in ways that overlap multiple issues. Additionally, the nature of the issues faced by older adult clients can present unique challenges to the …show more content…
Some older adult may view professional counseling with a negative or unrealistic attitude. In such cases, counselors may need to be inventive in how they present counseling services. Sawyer and Williams cite other research that found many older adults demonstrate lower levels of resistance to counseling service when it is offered under a less formal or community focused title. Primary aging issues like reduced mobility also require creative counseling solutions. For example, phone based counseling has been found to lower suicide rates for older adults who cannot easily travel to meet appointments. Regardless of the specific counseling method, careful attention must be given to guard against the negative impact of ageism. Older clients may be resistant to the direction provided by younger counselors, so helping clients develop self-directed treatment plans is of great importance. Other considerations that may improve counseling relationships with older adults include providing extended counseling sessions, being flexible with counseling times and locations, and using tact in addressing contentious generational
Counselors must careful to examine each client’s particular view of the aging process. They should not assume or discount relevant information based simply on the age of a client. Sawyer and Williams (2012) mention numerous characteristics of older adulthood that counselors may want to explore with clients. Mortality is one of the most prominent areas of concern for many older adults. The aging process naturally leads individuals to contemplate mortality and the limits of human life. Counselors should work to help clients navigate the great variety of thoughts and emotions that may be stirred by such considerations. One helpful strategy for working through this stage of older adulthood is to guide clients in recalling and ascribing value to events across the client’s whole life span. This model is beneficial for identifying previously unknown risk factors as well as providing clients with the opportunity to generate a collection of positive memories. While the issue of mortality is the most consistent challenge related to aging, numerous other issues are also of concern. Physical, psychological, and social difficulties often develop quickly in later life and tend to be interconnected. Counselors should not be surprised if older adult clients express concerns in these areas in ways that overlap multiple issues. Additionally, the nature of the issues faced by older adult clients can present unique challenges to the …show more content…
Some older adult may view professional counseling with a negative or unrealistic attitude. In such cases, counselors may need to be inventive in how they present counseling services. Sawyer and Williams cite other research that found many older adults demonstrate lower levels of resistance to counseling service when it is offered under a less formal or community focused title. Primary aging issues like reduced mobility also require creative counseling solutions. For example, phone based counseling has been found to lower suicide rates for older adults who cannot easily travel to meet appointments. Regardless of the specific counseling method, careful attention must be given to guard against the negative impact of ageism. Older clients may be resistant to the direction provided by younger counselors, so helping clients develop self-directed treatment plans is of great importance. Other considerations that may improve counseling relationships with older adults include providing extended counseling sessions, being flexible with counseling times and locations, and using tact in addressing contentious generational