Group Techniques for Aging Adults: Putting Geriatric Skills Enhancement into Practice

168 Pages·2012·0.87 MB·English

by  Kathie T. Erwin

GROUP TECHNIQUES FOR
AGING ADULTS
Elders can struggle with issues of social isolation and self-esteem but benefi t
from having positive coping skills at their disposal. The practical ideas that Kathie
Erwin imparts in this second edition help mental health professionals working
with elderly populations to create an interactive, multimodal program that
addresses the issues and needs that elders have. The group modalities are defi ned
in holistic contexts of mind, body, society, and spirituality. Among the group
modalities are reminiscence, bibliotherapy; remotivation; humor; expressive art;
and therapeutic writing and sacred spaces, which are new to this edition. Mental
health professionals appreciate the practical and detailed guidelines for how to
design, implement, and monitor progress for various types of group modalities
that allow them to put theory into practice easily. Their elder clients will benefi t
from the methods they develop in group to deal with problems such as isolation
and reduced social networks.
Kathie T. Erwin, EdD, is Assistant Professor at Regent University, Virginia
Beach, Virginia, in the School of Psychology and Counseling. She is the author
of seven books and is a National Certifi ed Counselor, National Certifi ed Geron-
tological Counselor, a Board Certifi ed Clinical Psychotherapist and Licensed
Mental Health Counselor.
GROUP TECHNIQUES
FOR AGING ADULTS
Putting Geriatric Skills
Enhancement into Practice
Second Edition
Kathie T. Erwin
First published 2013
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Simultaneously published in the UK
by Routledge
27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2013 Taylor & Francis
The right of Kathie Erwin to be identifi ed as author of this work has been
asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Erwin, Kathie T., 1950–
Group techniques for aging adults: putting geriatric skills enhancement into
practice / by Kathie T. Erwin.—2nd ed.
p . cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-415-89783-9 (hardback: alk. paper)—
ISBN 978-0-415-89782-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Social work
with older people. 2. Social group work. 3. Older people—
Care. I. Title.
HV1451.E79 2013
362.6'9—dc23 2012018560
ISBN: 978-0-415-89783-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-89782-2 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-08211-9 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage
For the most fascinating group, my grandchildren:
Faith, Grace, Joseph, and Joy
CONTENTS
Group Modalities List xi
Introduction xv
Acknowledgments xix
1 Stages of Elder Groups 1
Relational 2
Transition 3
Working 4
Adaptation 6
2 Designing Groups for Diverse Elder Populations 8
Initial Planning Decisions 9
Planning Groups for Cognitively Impaired Elders 10
Planning Groups for Adult Day Care and Community Elders 11
Diversity and Elder Group Planning 12
Designing Groups for Baby Boomer Elders 14
Designing Groups for Caregivers and Families 14
Turning a Smorgasbord into a Multicourse Feast 15
3 Group Leadership 16
Are You Right for This Work? 16
Attitudes about Aging 16
Developmental Issues 18
Coping with Losses 18
viii Contents
Overcoming Stereotypes 19
Developing Group Bonds 19
Nurse as Group Leader 21
Therapist/Social Worker as Group Leader 21
Volunteer/Student as Group Facilitator 22
Recommendations for All Group Leaders 24
4 Group Location 26
Long Term Care/Nursing Homes 26
Long Term Care/Dementia Units 28
Assisted Living Facilities 29
Adult Day Care 30
Community Centers 30
Staff Cooperation 31
5 Funding for Geriatric Groups 33
How to Consistently Get Paid 34
Alternative Funding for Geriatric Groups 35
Nonprofi t Organizations 35
Research Grants 36
Community Grants 37
Adult Day Care 37
Determining Your Fees 38
Income Tax Considerations 39
Survival of the Creative 39
6 Group Modalities for the Mind 40
Practical Value of Reminiscence 40
Categories of Reminiscence and Life Review 43
Interactive Methods and Group Activities 45
Reminiscence Groups 45
Bibliotherapy 53
Stages of Bibliotherapy 54
Bibliotherapy Groups 56
Therapeutic Writing 60
Therapeutic Writing Groups 62
7 Group Modalities for the Body 67
Reconnecting to the Sensory Environment 68
Body/Sensory Groups 69
Music and Movement 74
Contents ix
Value of Music in Elder Groups 75
Music and Movement Groups 77
Remotivation 82
Blended Approach 83
Leader’s Role in Remotivation 85
Remotivation Groups 85
8 Group Modalities for Social Skills 92
Humor 93
Effi cacy of Humor 94
Humor Groups 95
Expressive Art 99
Phototherapy 106
How to Use Photos in Group 107
Phototherapy Groups 108
9 Group Modalities for the Spirit 115
Exploring Values and Roles 116
Values and Roles for the Group 118
Spirituality 123
Importance of Rituals 126
Spirituality Groups 126
Sacred Spaces 133
Sacred Spaces Groups 134
10 The Future of Geriatric Groups with New Elder Generation 138
Ten Targets for the Next Generation of Geriatric Group Work 138
A Final Observation 142
References 143
Resources 151
Index 153
GROUP MODALITIES LIST
• Group Modalities for the Mind
 Reminiscence
 Favorite vacations
 Lifelong learning
 My fi rst car
 Childhood games
 Birthdays
 Seasons of the year
 The kitchen
 Old spices, senses, smells, and memories
 Textiles and textures of the time
 Family genogram
 Decades of life
 Life investment
  Bibliotherapy
 Enjoying essays
 What’s new in our city (state or nation)?
 What’s old is new again
 Myths and fables
 Forget TV shopping, get my catalog!
 Attitudes about aging
 Rhyme me a rhyme
 Armchair exploring
 Childhood rhymes
 The crossroads of our lives
 Therapeutic Writing
 My life in three acts
 Characters in my story
xii Group Modalities List
 Exploring positive feelings
 Letter to myself
 Feelings into form
 Gratitude list: Then and now
 Positive memories and early skills recognition
• Group modalities for the body
 Body/sensory
 Back to nature
 Baking party
 A bit of Florida sunshine
 Solve the mystery without looking
 We’re forever blowing bubbles
 The sensation of color
 Fantastic fur and feathers—pet visits
 Seashore sensations
 Smooth or rough
 Music and movement
 Big band
 World War II music
 Marching
 Patriotic
 Nature sounds
 Sing-Along songs
 Trip to Hawaii
 Outdoor concert
 Hand bell chorus
 Tai Chi and harp
 Tai Chi and water music
 Remotivation
 Meet and greet
 Day and month
 Weather and season
 Current events
 Welcome new member
 Beach ball toss
 Letter-to-word association
 Show and tell
 Transportation
 Rocks and shells
• Modalities for social
 Humor
 Classic radio comedy
 Classic television comedy
 Sharing jokes
 Mature humor