Helping Relationships with Older Adults: From Theory to Practice examines the fundamental theoretical perspectives of the aging process with an emphasis on the healthy aspects of aging. Taking a comprehensive approach, author Adele Williams addresses various therapeutic methods as she highlights the strengths and resiliency of the older population. Exercises and case studies demonstrate key concepts and promote skill development by allowing students to experience the various challenges in the lives of older clients.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

Positive relationships begin with people enjoying one another. This fresh look at reminiscence uses fun-filled, lively activities to help people laugh with, as well as learn from, each other. The engaging program will foster understanding and build a sense of community through meaningful interaction. Nine in-depth group exercises and more than 30 informal mini-exercises cover broad topics such as individuals' backgrounds, personal preferences, and social history. Games, discussion, storytelling, and other interactive methods are used to reveal participants' unique characteristics, experiences, and interests. Substantial benefits will result including expanded self-awareness and self-esteem strengthened relationships among participants, families, and caregivers disclosure of useful information for personalizing care enhanced brain functioning Appropriate for people of all ages, but aimed particularly at older adults, these activities can be used in long-term care settings, assisted living facilities, adult day centers, and senior centers. The exercises can also be adapted for one-on-one use in home or community settings and used with intergenerational groups. Each main exercise is completely scripted and easy-to-implement with minimal preparation. The manual also includes adaptations for people with dementia, additional resource lists, and a CD-ROM with printable handouts. Every person is unique--use these activities to discover, celebrate, and benefit from the experience and individuality of older adults.

This Third Edition of the bestselling Psychotherapy with Older Adults continues to offer students and professionals a thorough overview of psychotherapy with older adults. Using the contextual, cohort-based, maturity, specific challenge (CCMSC) model, it draws upon findings from scientific gerontology and life-span developmental psychology to describe how psychotherapy needs to be adapted for work with older adults, as well as when it is similar to therapeutic work with younger adults. Sensitively linking both research and experience, author Bob G. Knight provides a practical account of the knowledge, technique, and skills necessary to work with older adults in a therapeutic relationship. This volume considers the essentials of gerontology as well as the nature of therapy in depth, focusing on special content areas and common themes.

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.

This book provides an up-to-date and authoritative overview of the development of social work with older people in the UK. The coherent structure draws together the key themes involved in working with older people, and clearly demonstrates how to translate these into real-life practice. Key features of the book include: - Establishes an understanding of the policy context within which social work takes place, with particular attention to key topics such as inter-professional collaboration and ethics. - Goes beyond other textbooks to challenge the restricted nature of social work practice, and adopts a positive view of its potential to benefit older people. - An engaging and practice-led approach which includes student-friendly features and detailed practice scenarios. - Satisfies the curriculum benchmarks and National Occupational Standards that structure social work training and practice. Written by a leading academic, this is a key text for social work trainees. Its analytical depth will ensure that it will also be valuable for students undertaking post-qualifying courses, and for those in related disciplines such as health and community care, social policy and social gerontology. Its practice-based and inter-professional approach will mean it is also useful for health and social care practitioners seeking to improve the quality of practice with older people. `Drawing on both theory and research as well as the author's clear knowledge of current practice, this book is able to deal with practice realities in ways which many texts cannot. It offers social workers realistic options for how to approach their work' - Karen Postle, University of East Anglia

This book provides insight into the primary issues faced by older adults; the services and benefits available to them; and the knowledge base, techniques, and skills necessary to work effectively in a therapeutic relationship. Dr. Kampfe offers empirically and anecdotally based strategies and interventions for dealing with clients’ personal concerns and describes ways counselors can advocate for older people on a systemic level. Individual and group exercises are incorporated throughout the book to enhance its practicality. Topics covered include an overview of population demographics and characteristics; counseling considerations and empowering older clients; successful aging; mental health and wellness; common medical conditions; multiple losses and transitions; financial concerns; elder abuse; veterans’ issues; sensory loss; changing family dynamics; managing Social Security and Medicare; working after retirement age; retirement transitions, losses, and gains; residential options; and death and dying. *Requests for digital versions from the ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected].