Elder Adults Counseling Essay

Nowadays, a great deal of elder adults in the United States who present themselves as well-maintained and self-sufficient people have the same health problems which include recurrent memory lapses and forgetfulness. These symptoms prevent them from leading a full life and can result in many troubles. Counseling older adults cannot be compared with counseling general population. It is very important for the counselor “to have appropriate knowledge and listening skills”. (Blando, 2010, p.3)
In our case, Catherine, an older adult, was brought to counseling by her daughter.
CATHERINE’S CASE STUDY
Although Catherine is an elder adult, she insists on her desire to live unassisted in her family home. She presents herself as a well-maintained, self-sufficient and proud individual who does not want to relinquish her freedom. She wants to do all her household duties herself and does not want to be a great burden to her daughter and other family members. Catherine has already visited a number of sessions and she is satisfied with the work of the counselor. She trusts her counselor and shares many interesting things about her life. Finally, she has informed the counselor of her health problems: recurrent memory lapses and forgetfulness. For example, she always forgets to turn off her cooking facilities and household appliances. She is worried over her health as the above mentioned symptoms can mean the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease.
THE CHANCES OF BEING DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AS AN ELDERLY ADULT
According to the statistical data, if an individual is over 85 years old, he or she has about 50/50 chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease. It is also known that 90% of all the patients who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are elder adults. The other important fact is that 1% of all the population has Alzheimer disease before the age of 60, about 3% – from 65 to 75 and more than 40% of population has Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 85. (Veretto, 2006, para.2)
THE MAJOR FACTORS THAT CAN RAISE CHANCES OF GETTING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
The following factors can raise chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease: genetic background, rather low level of B vitamins, different head injuries, high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol, Down’s Syndrome, chronic alcoholism, some medication effects. Moreover, it is noticed that in our society, more women than men are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (1,5-2 times more). Some experts consider that the level of education also plays an important role.(Veretto, 2006, para.5)
According to the other study which discusses Alzheimer’s disease, the number of Americans who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is constantly increasing. Moreover, special advanced-care nursing homes have no opportunity to handle the increasing rate of patients. (King, 2010, para.2)
According to another source of information which discusses Alzheimer’s disease, the first symptoms of this disease can appear at the age of 60. Some experts consider that more than 5 million Americans may suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The number of people who are 65 years old is expected to grow while the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease doubles every five years period. (National Institute of Aging)
Although there are some differences in numbers, it is clear that Alzheimer’s disease is a serious one because more and more elderly people become the patients. It is found that this disease is “a slow disease” which can start with some problems with memory and it can lead to serious brains damage. That is why it is very important to explain Catherine and her family the consequences of her health problems. It is necessary to tell them that a person who is older than 80 years old can live only 3-4 years after the diagnosis of this disease. (National Institute of Aging)
LEGAL CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH ELDER ADULT CLIENTS
It is necessary to know a lot about legal issues concerning the work with elder adult clients. Some advocates of elder adults argue that elder adults are “guardians of the world’s vital memories” and they should be appreciated and respected. (American Psychological Association)
It is very important to follow the code of ethics which will guarantee the following aspects: to protect the client’s confidentiality, to do no harm to the client’s health, to act ethically and to avoid immorality. (Corey et al., 2011, p.6)
Moreover, it is very important to understand the main issues concerning the ethical treatment of elder adults. It is necessary to remember that the elder adults have their right not only to initiate and withdraw but also terminate their treatment. They also can refuse taking some medicine, or surgery, or any research participation. (American Psychologist Association)
CONCLUSION
In Catherine’s case, it is necessary to pay special attention to the psychological state of the patient and to implement effective therapy. Moreover, it will be better to explain Catherine that she is not alone and that there are a lot of people around who can support her. One of the best ways of counseling for Catherine is group therapy. In this case, Catherine will be able to discuss her problems with other patients in a session which will be guided by the counselor. The other very effective variant of treatment is to choose appropriate treatment program in a special treatment center.