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Enhancing Late Adulthood: Groups for Older Adults

Explore the role of group therapy in late adulthood, types of groups for older adults, setting up groups, caregiver support, strengths, and limitations. Gain insights from experts at Wake Forest University.

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Enhancing Late Adulthood: Groups for Older Adults

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  1. Chapter 14 Groups for Older Adults Prepared by: Nathaniel N. Ivers, Wake Forest University

  2. Roadmap • Late Adulthood • Types of Groups for Older Adults • Setting up Groups for Older Adults • Role of the Leader in Older Adult Groups • Groups for Caregivers of Older Adults • Strengths and Limitations

  3. Late Adulthood • Begins in the 60s and extends up to approximately 120 years of age • The percentage of those over the age of 65 continues to rise (13% of the population or 43 million in 2014) • By 2060, the number is projected to more than double and will be 92 million.

  4. Types of Groups for Older Adults • Psychoeducational and Task/Work Groups • Counseling and Psychotherapy Groups

  5. Psychoeducational & Task/Work Groups • Gray Panthers Groups • AARP Groups • Groups for older adults who require long-term care

  6. Counseling and Psychotherapy Groups • Reality-oriented groups • Remotivation therapy groups • Reminiscing and life review groups • Topic- and theme-focused groups • Member-specific groups • eGroups

  7. Setting up Groups for Older Adults • Factors to consider: • Group size – as a rule, they tend to be smaller (e.g., 4-8 members) • Physical environment • Norms of the group (e.g., socialization outside the group) • Themes of growth and enhancement • Trust-building

  8. Role of the Leader in Groups for Older Adults • Steps for prospective leaders working with older adults: • Read • Examine • Meet • Fantasize • Learn • Care (Hawkins, 1983)

  9. Groups for Caregivers of Older Adults • 65 million Americans serve as caregivers for their sick, disabled, or infirm relatives (Vacha-Haase, 2014) • A number of different kinds of caregivers groups are available • They primarily attempt to provide members with information and support (Kennedy & Tanenbaum, 2000) • They are preventative in nature – they affirm, support, and educate

  10. Strengths of Groups for Older Adults • Provides an opportunity to develop interpersonal relationships • Gives its members an opportunity to try out different responses and initiate new behaviors • Provides opportunities for formal and applied learning • Can enhance self-concept (O’Brien et al., 1979) • Provide a series of checks and balances for those who participate in them

  11. Can be labor intensive • Require leader to have specialized skills • In groups with members who are old-old, group members and leaders have to face real loss • Often have more limited goals than other groups • Group leaders and members will likely have to deal with the caregivers for other members. Many of these encounters are positive but they also can be a source of stress (Thomas & Martin, 2010)

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