Write a paper of 700-1,000 words, in which you evaluate your opinions and beliefs regarding older adults and address the following:
Describe stereotypes about older adults that are prevalent in society
Discuss how those stereotypes affect your personal beliefs concerning older adults.
Describe the physical and cognitive issues involved in aging.
Discuss the mental health treatment issues involved in working with the aging client. Include end-of-life considerations in your discussion.
Discuss relevant counselor training and skills necessary for working with older adults.
Include at least two scholarly references in addition to the textbook in your paper.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Human Sexuality: Working with the Elderly
Ageism refers to the negative stereotypes, behaviors, and attitudes that target older adults that are entirely based on their age. As people get older, they experience significant physical and cognitive changes which are often the basis of ageism (Reissmann et al., 2021). The purpose of this essay is to discuss common stereotypes that target the elderly, cognitive and physical issues associated with aging, and counseling skills required for working with the elderly.
Stereotypes about Older Adults
The most common stereotype about older adults is that they all suffer from poor health, including cognitive and physical incompetency. Additionally, many people believe that older adults are unproductive, contribute little to the society, and are usually unable to pay their bills. Moreover, the elderly are often believed to experience loneliness, sadness, and depression. With regard to sexuality, many people believe that the elderly do not need intimacy or sex and are just waiting to die. Another stereotype is that older people are unable to make good decisions about important issues because of cognitive decline. Older adults were not born in an era where technology was common. Therefore, many people believe that older adults have limited technical knowledge and are unable to use devices such as computers well. Although this may be true for some older adults, it is important to note that others possess sufficient technical knowledge (Reissmann et al., 2021).
How These Stereotypes Affect My Personal Beliefs Concerning Older Adults
These stereotypes negatively impacted my beliefs about older people and the aging process. I have always feared that when I get older, I will experience memory loss and my physical health will deteriorate significantly such that I will always need other people’s help. Additionally, the stereotypes affected the way I interact with older adults. For instance, when talking to the elderly, I often find myself talking louder and slower than normal because of the stereotype that aging leads to hearing difficulties. I have also attempted to help an older adults use a laptop because I thought that they probably did not know what they were doing. As my parents got older, I began viewing them differently and I often cringed when I saw being affectionate.
Physical and Cognitive Issues Involved In Aging
As people get older, they experience physical changes such as loss of strength and flexibility of the muscles, joints, and tendons. The elderly also have less bone density and the bones may shrink in size making them physically smaller. As people get older, they may engage in less physical activity which increases the risk of gaining weight. Slow metabolism may also lead to obesity among the elderly. Aging also increases the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as cancer, hypertension, and diabetes. Digestive reflexes may also slow down leading to digestive issues. Some older adults experience urinary incontinence. Furthermore, some older adults experience hearing and vision loss gradually as they get older. The main cognitive issues associated with aging include memory loss and reduced processing speed. (Kumar et al., 2022).
Mental Health Issues
When working with the elderly, it is important to consider that they may be experiencing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, and dementia. Older adults are also likely to experience sleep problems. Cognitive deterioration among the elderly can also lead to confusion hence it is important to examine patients for any cognitive issues that may be contributing to poor mental health. The main factors that increase the risk of mental illness among the elderly include loneliness, financial problems, substance and alcohol abuse, severe physical illness, and a family history of mental health issues. Therefore, it is important to assess older adults for mental illnesses especially when they have some of the mentioned risk factors (Banerjee et al., 2021).
As people get older, they are approaching their end-of-life. Some older adults may fear death and this may lead to poor mental health. Older adults who experience severe physical health issues such as chronic illnesses may also be approaching their end-of-life hence it is important to consider their emotional, mental, and spiritual needs as well as physical comfort (Banerjee et al., 2021).
Relevant Counselor Training and Skills Necessary for Working with Older Adults
Counselors who work with the elderly should be educated about the physical and cognitive issues that older people may experience and how to handle them using the best interventions. Counselors must possess good communication skills to be able to provide information to the elderly. Active listening skills are important because they help counselors understand what older people say. Additionally, counselors must possess cultural competence skills since older people are diverse and tend to have different beliefs and values from younger people. Counselors must also be self-aware to identify any biases and stereotypes they may have against the elderly that will prevent them from working effectively with them (Moye, 2018).
Conclusion
Aging is linked to physical and cognitive changes. However, these changes are not uniform among all the elderly hence it is inappropriate to assume that all older adults have cognitive difficulties and physical health issues just because of their age. Ageism leads to discrimination of the elderly and should be discouraged. Counselors should be aware of the cognitive and physical changes and should possess skills such as communication, active listening, and cultural competence to work effectively with the elderly.
References
Banerjee, D., Rabheru, K., Ivbijaro, G., & Mendonca Lima, C. A. (2021). Dignity of older persons with mental health conditions: Why should clinicians care? Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.774533
Kumar, M., Srivastava, S., & Muhammad, T. (2022). Relationship between physical activity and cognitive functioning among older Indian adults. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06725-3
Moye, J. (2018). Psychotherapy with older adults: Implementing and Refining Best Practices. Clinical Gerontologist, 41(5), 383–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2018.1486113
Reissmann, M., Geithner, L., Storms, A., & Woopen, C. (2021). Stereotypes about very old people and perceived societal appreciation in very old age. Zeitschrift Für Gerontologie Und Geriatrie, 54(S2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-021-01971-y