Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. Readers Contributions
    • Articles >
      • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S >
        • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
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        • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
        • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
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        • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
        • Personality Traits - Sally W
        • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
        • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
        • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
        • 3 Ways - Rid of Sunday Scaries
        • Conquer Fear of Flying - Sally W.
        • Document Anxiety through Journaling - Sally W
        • Career Options - Sally W
        • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
        • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
        • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
        • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
        • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
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        • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
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        • Financial Stress - Sally W.
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        • Gut Health & Mental Health - Sally W
        • How Having a Skincare Routine
        • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
        • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
        • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
        • 4 Journaling Tips for Beginners - Shristi Patni
        • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
        • Recall Report - Laura P.
        • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
        • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
        • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
        • Practical Financial SKills - Johanne H
        • Nutrition to Help Anxiety - Sally W
        • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
        • Managing Phobias - Sally W
        • Healing Power of Pets - Sally W
        • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
        • Counseling Seniors with Anxiety - Sally W
        • Senior Resources - Claire S.
        • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
        • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
        • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
        • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
        • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
        • Recovery from Sports Injury
        • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
        • Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Mental Health - Sally W
        • Stress on Health - Sally W.
        • Stress Management - Sally W
        • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
        • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
        • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.
        • Take Control of Your Life - Dorothy Watson
        • No More Winter Blues - Rufus Carter
        • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
        • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
        • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
        • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
        • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
        • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
        • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
        • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
        • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
        • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
        • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
        • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark
        • What to Do if a Loved One Is Battling Addiction
        • From Addiction Recovery to Financial Independence
        • Major Life Transition - Ryan Randolph
        • Find Your True Path - Ryan Randolk
        • Officers Coping With PTSD - Ryan Randolph
        • Self-Care Secrets for the Rookie Caregiver - Ryan Randolf
        • Self-Care Building Blocks for Improving Your Mental Health - Cheryl Conklin
        • Avoiding Burnout in the Counseling Profession
  • Reset Your Day Without Burning Out
  • The Big 6 Personality Traits
  • When Everything Breaks, Something Begins - Holli Richardson

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.

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