Full Digest V8, I2

1 TPC Digest 1 | TPC Digest Matthew C. Fullen Ageism and the Counseling Profession T here are approximately 47.8 million adults age 65 and over currently living in the United States, and this number is expected to grow to 98 million by 2060. As the number of older adults increases, it is important to understand how attitudes toward aging influence society, the aging process, and the counseling profession. Ageism—defined as social stigma associated with old age or older people—has deleterious effects on older adults’ physical health, psychological well-being, and self-perception. Myths about aging have led to beliefs about older people that are perpetuated throughout society, such as the notion that older adults are depressed, frail, cognitively impaired, and unable to learn or change. These myths persist in spite of research that demonstrates that older adults possess many psychosocial resources, frequently have high levels of self-rated and objectively measured health, and mostly do not experience dementia or other forms of cognitive impairment. Research also indicates that age stereotypes directly influence older adults’ health and well-being. For instance, older adults’ perceptions of aging are associated with memory performance, hearing decline, developing Alzheimer’s symptoms, and dying from respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses. In fact, one study found that older adults with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. However, older adults may not be exposed to interventions to promote well-being due to ageism’s impact on the availability of mental health services among older adults. Both systemic and individual ageism may account for the gap between the mental health needs of older adults and the number of counselors with age-specific training. For example, older adults are currently unable to use Medicare to access services provided by licensed professional counselors. Further, the gerontological counseling specialization was discontinued in 2009 when only two institutions had applied for accreditation. Some mental health professionals view older clients as less able to develop an adequate therapeutic relationship, less appropriate for therapy, and less likely to recover. Some also feel less competent in treating older people, and they are less willing to accept older people as clients. To counteract ageism, counselors can dedicate their attention to generating positive views of aging in four domains: counselor education, advocacy, research, and counseling practice. For example, counselor educators can consciously develop practicum or internship sites in which older clients will be served. Counselors and counselor educators can make connections with members of the local area agency on aging, directors of local assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, and state policymakers who are responsible for budgetary and policy decisions related to aging. Research into advocacy efforts related to Medicare reimbursement also might advance the profession so that counselors can access Medicare services. Practitioners can incorporate resilience into an older client’s treatment plan to create a buffer against internalized ageism as well as an opportunity to highlight older adults’ abilities to adapt in the face of adversity. By combating ageism in these domains, members of the counseling profession have the opportunity to counteract ageism’s deleterious effects. Matthew C. Fullen is an assistant professor at Virginia Tech. Correspondence can be addressed to Matthew Fullen, 1750 Kraft Drive, Suite 2005, Blacksburg, VA 24061, mfullen@vt.edu. Causes, Consequences, and Methods for Counteraction