Counseling Older Adults

Counseling older adults is not equivalent to counseling the general population, and specialized skills and knowledge, as well as sensitivity to the contexts in which older adults live, are essential in working successfully with this population. This book provides an introduction to gerontological counseling, covering theories of aging (including a theory of gerontological counseling) and their practical application in counseling work with older adults; basic counseling skills and the counseling process in the context of work with older adults; contextual factors (race-ethnicity, social class, etc.); and a discussion of social justice issues. Also considered are biopsychosocial-spiritual contexts of older adults, as well as the counseling skills and process interventions that maximize counseling success within these contexts.