Supporting Older People with Geriatric Counseling
Over the next 30 years, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to double from 40 million to 80 million. While many people embrace getting older, others may dread the physical and mental effects of aging. Getting older often forces people to face their own mortality and confront the realities of their aging. Geriatric counseling, therefore, becomes an important vehicle to help people share their fears and tackle life's challenges while giving people the tools to effectively manage the transition into their older years.
The Work of a Geriatric Counselor
The overall aim of geriatric counseling is to improve and enrich the lives of seniors. Geriatric counselors primarily provide physical and psychological assessment services. However, they also offer counseling, direct care, and mental health treatment. They will also help a senior tackle any issues that could interfere with their quality of life. They also specialize in resolving issues that frequently arise for older people living in long term care and assisted living facilities, while working closely with staff responsible for delivering skilled nursing care.
Getting to Know the Client
While a geriatric counselor will work closely with the client to understand their needs and requirements, they will also liaise with other family members and health care providers. They will also review the individual’s medical history to ensure they understand their past and present medical situation, including any medications or treatment they are receiving. Once they have this information and a better picture of the person’s circumstances, they will create a plan that’s aimed at making the older person’s life easier, safer and healthier. This can include a variety of tasks such as grocery shopping, making doctor’s appointments, arranging transportation, completing paperwork or managing the client’s moments. The geriatric counselor will also help the person connect with social services and other assistance programs.
Providing Mental, Emotional and Practical Support
With over 6.5 million Americans aged over 65 experiencing depression, geriatric counselors will also keep a close eye on the person’s emotional and mental health. As we get older, we all have to face a variety of challenges and changes. Many of us will be confronted with the pressures of a second career, low income, providing care for a loved one or receiving care, bereavement, physical illness or pain, terminal disease, cognitive decline, depression or mental illness. A geriatric counselor can help a client cope better with these issues and provide crucial guidance on how they can deal effectively with these challenges.
Becoming A Geriatric Counselor
A geriatric counselor will generally be required to have a background of working in mental health and counseling. They will need to have some knowledge of mental and emotional disorders, counseling strategies along with other therapeutic interventions. They will need to have a good understanding of the issues facing the older population and understand their role in helping clients adjust to these challenges. The specific requirements needed for a career in geriatric counseling varies from state to state, but a good understanding of mental health issues and a bachelor's degree in a mental health related field is generally a good place to start.
As America’s elderly population continues to grow, geriatric counseling services have become crucial in ensuring that older people can look forward to a happy, healthy and comfortable future.
The Work of a Geriatric Counselor
The overall aim of geriatric counseling is to improve and enrich the lives of seniors. Geriatric counselors primarily provide physical and psychological assessment services. However, they also offer counseling, direct care, and mental health treatment. They will also help a senior tackle any issues that could interfere with their quality of life. They also specialize in resolving issues that frequently arise for older people living in long term care and assisted living facilities, while working closely with staff responsible for delivering skilled nursing care.
Getting to Know the Client
While a geriatric counselor will work closely with the client to understand their needs and requirements, they will also liaise with other family members and health care providers. They will also review the individual’s medical history to ensure they understand their past and present medical situation, including any medications or treatment they are receiving. Once they have this information and a better picture of the person’s circumstances, they will create a plan that’s aimed at making the older person’s life easier, safer and healthier. This can include a variety of tasks such as grocery shopping, making doctor’s appointments, arranging transportation, completing paperwork or managing the client’s moments. The geriatric counselor will also help the person connect with social services and other assistance programs.
Providing Mental, Emotional and Practical Support
With over 6.5 million Americans aged over 65 experiencing depression, geriatric counselors will also keep a close eye on the person’s emotional and mental health. As we get older, we all have to face a variety of challenges and changes. Many of us will be confronted with the pressures of a second career, low income, providing care for a loved one or receiving care, bereavement, physical illness or pain, terminal disease, cognitive decline, depression or mental illness. A geriatric counselor can help a client cope better with these issues and provide crucial guidance on how they can deal effectively with these challenges.
Becoming A Geriatric Counselor
A geriatric counselor will generally be required to have a background of working in mental health and counseling. They will need to have some knowledge of mental and emotional disorders, counseling strategies along with other therapeutic interventions. They will need to have a good understanding of the issues facing the older population and understand their role in helping clients adjust to these challenges. The specific requirements needed for a career in geriatric counseling varies from state to state, but a good understanding of mental health issues and a bachelor's degree in a mental health related field is generally a good place to start.
As America’s elderly population continues to grow, geriatric counseling services have become crucial in ensuring that older people can look forward to a happy, healthy and comfortable future.
