Group Work with Elderly People and Caregivers

1. Chapter 17: Group Work: Elderly People and Their Caregivers Introduction to Group Work, 5th Edition Edited by David Capuzzi, Douglas R. Gross, and Mark D. Stauffer

2. Types of Groups • Can be categorized based on topics, goals, settings, member capabilities, and counselor capabilities • Remotivation • Reminiscing and life review • Psychotherapy • Reality orientation • Topic- and theme-focused • Groups for caregivers • Brief solution-focused groups • eGroups

3. Remotivation Groups • Designed to help stimulate involvement in life for those who have lost interest in the present and the future • Work on increasing communication and interaction with others • Help with the resocialization process • Discussion focuses on nonproblematic topics such as vacations, gardening, sports, pets, transportation, hobbies, and holidays • Members must be oriented to time, place, and person

4. Reminiscing and Life Review Groups • Reminiscing and life review considered synonymous • Members asked to remember experiences (including conflicts) from the past • Asked to reintegrate them into views of their lives • Leaders need to possess more advanced group facilitation skills • Members assumed to be more functional

5. Psychotherapy Groups • Help members manage life stresses • Help members deal with new or ongoing unresolved serious personal problems • Members typically have deep feelings of fear, loneliness, or anxiety • These feelings may be caused or exacerbated by aging • Facilitators of such groups should have gerontological training in addition to graduate counseling credentials

6. Reality Orientation Groups • Designed to help regressed elderly persons suffering from dementia • Help them become more accurately oriented in time, place, and person • Help confused older persons correct misconceptions about their environment

7. Topic- and Theme-Focused Groups • Topics for such groups target issues often shared by older persons. • Topics include health, retirement, loss, sexuality, career transitions, and spirituality. • Skill building in areas such as assertiveness, social skills, and communication might also be a theme.

8. Groups for Caregivers • Designed for family members • Can also be designed for professionals • Goals • Provide support and information to improve the quality of life and environment for the entire family • Plan safe care for the older relative • Obtain social support from other caregivers • Learn new skills • Improve conflict management skills • Find ways to cope with changed roles, responsibilities, and stresses

9. Brief Solution-Focused Groups • Generally meet from one to six times • Focus is always on members’ competencies rather than weaknesses • When issues about aging are discussed, focus is on possibilities instead of limitations • Time focus is the future rather than the past or present

10. eGroups • Particularly unique strategy for older persons who may be homebound • Also useful for those separated from friends, relatives, and other potential group members • Possible types of eGroups might include life review groups, career development and retirement planning groups, bereavement groups, various types of support groups, and family discussion groups

11. Considerations of Diversity • Challenge is greater for counselors working with elderly people because of the scope of the multicultural considerations. • Younger counselors can learn from their older clients about the social & cultural contexts in which values and behaviors are formed. • Learn the history that formed the culture of the clients. • Understand the political, religious, and economic forces that molded their differences. • Recognize their strengths and values. • Listen to their stories.

12. Group Examples in Chapter • A life review group • 4 S decision model for a brief solution-focused group • Elements discussed for each group: • Leadership • Group goals • Membership, screening, and settings • Length, frequency, and duration • Group size and mobility • The sessions