Geriatric Advocacy Competencies
description
Transcript of Geriatric Advocacy Competencies
+Geriatric Advocacy
Competencies
Scott Wright, Rachel Peloquin, Jessica Stewart, Wan-hsuan Lin, Emily Morgan, & Peter Williams
+Elderly Client EmpowermentEmphasize Autonomy, Meaning, and AbilityDiscuss the realities of AgeismEmpower client to overcome internalized
Ageism
+Client Advocacy (microlevel) Barriers to individual development:
Physical Ability: chronic pain, transportCognitive Ability: degenerative diseases, memory
issuesMental Health: highest rate of suicide & least likely to
seek counselingSpiritual Concerns: death anxiety & issues of
meaning/purposeCounselor Competency: Geriatric issues
As of 2009 only 2 graduate-level counseling programs in the USA are certified in gerocounseling in accordance with the Counsel for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (Foster, Kreider, & Waugh, 2009).
+ Counselor Competencies Part psychoeducational:
Navigate specialized resources i.e. Adult Community Center Programs/Activities,
Medicare & Medicaid, community transportation services Part Collaborative:
Develop list of individualized barriers specific with client (brainstorm) i.e. feelings of isolation, diagnosed with a medical
condition, loss of license Part Creative:
Create specialized plan and discuss how to implement i.e. Client discloses that they feel like they have no one
to talk to since their spouse passed away. Together, you discuss options: continue individual therapy, enroll in group therapy (bereavement-centered), attend community center.
+Community CollaborationFailure to Thrive (FTT) in Elderly Clients
Causes Malnutrition Depression and dementing illnesses Age-related changes Inadequate support system
Attributes Problems in social relatedness Physical/cognitive dysfunction Feelings of exclusion, shame, helplessness and
worthlessness Loneliness Giving up
+Community Collaboration What will help?
Reminiscing Create opportunities for elderly to share their
stories and become socially involved School mentoring program Support groups at churches with others in their
demographic Day Care
To improve social interaction and increase activity Work with organizations such as People Inc. and
Aurora Adult Day Services to be sure that they are reaching the population and meeting these specific needs
Art therapy, exercise, nutritious meals
+Community CollaborationValidation Therapy
Acknowledging the person’s feelings as valid to restore dignityRestore self-worth, reduce
stress and justify livingWork with health care
agencies and eldercare programs to educate them and train them to use validation therapy in their programs
Family system
Systems AdvocacyDefinition:Attempting to change systems such as policies , rules or laws of government, organization or agency to facilitate client’s development or meet their needs
Working on how existing systems can be made more “older person friendly”
Example: Quality of Life Partnership
Multi-agency signposting scheme - enable elderly to access preventive services
Provide opportunities for frontline staff to learn from each other
Older Person’s Accommodation Strategy
- a theme on housing information and advice
+Public Information A public information counselor must advocate for the elderly on a macro-level• Educate the public about ageism• Be aware of stereotyping & microaggressions
The elderly experience societal oppression inWestern Cultures• Undervalued (physically and cognitively)• Underemployed• Those with disabilities have an additional minority
status• Sometimes difficult to get them to seek counseling
More likely to go to a religious figure rather than a professional therapist
May avoid the topic due to stigma that is more prevalent within their cohort
+Public Info. – Adverse Drug EffectsOliver et al. (2009) found an increasing amount
of emergency room visits due to adverse drug reactions in the elderly (65 years+)
There is a need to increase the availability of information to the public about drug interactions and polypharmacy among the elderly
A better way of educating the elderly themselves and those who may live with them is important
Awareness about what multiple doctors are prescribing at once is crucial, especially for those who are experiencing cognitive decline
+Types of ProblemsAbuse
FinancialPhysicalSexual
Research FundingDementiaNutrition
Innovative Care ModelsSeeking a better experience and lower costs
+ALLIES AARP (American Association of Retired Persons)
ELDERADVOCACYBLOG.COM
HEALTH INFORMATION COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY
GROUP
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
INNOVATIVECAREMODELS.COM
LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN
http://www.ltcombudsman.org/ombudsman
+ References Baldridge, D. (2004). Double jeopardy: Advocating for Indian elders.
Generations, 28, 75–78. American Society on Aging. Retrieved from http://generations.metapress.com/index/925742r572481706.pdf
Cohen, E. S. (1990). The elderly mystique: Impediment to advocacy and empowerment. Generations: Journal Of The American Society On Aging, 14(Suppl), 13-16.
Foster, T. W., Kreider, V., & Waugh, J. (2009). Counseling students’ interest in gerocounseling: a survey study. Gerontology & geriatrics education, 30(3), 226-42. doi:10.1080/02701960903133489
Horton, C. (2009). Creating a stronger information, advice and advocacy system for older people. Retrieved from http://www.jrf.org.uk/ system/files/information-systems-for-older-people-summary.pdf
+ References (cont.) Kimball, M. J., & Williams-Burgess, C. (1995). Failure to thrive:
the silent epidemic of the elderly. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 9(2), 99-105. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7755414
Kohler, I., & Kendall, J. (2010). Bringing dementia out of the shadows for BME elders : a report on the Ethnic Minority Dementia Advocacy Project ( EMDAP ). Dementia Advocacy Network at Advocacy Plus, 14(1), 12-16.
Olivier, P., Bertrand, L., Tubery, M., Lauque, D., Montastruc, J.-L., & Lapeyre-Mestre, M. (2009). Hospitalizations because of adverse drug reactions in elderly patients admitted through the emergency department: a prospective survey. Drugs & aging, 26(6), 475-82. doi:10.2165/00002512-200926060-00004