Mental Illness and Elderly Counseling: What I Have Learned @ Capella
I have learned so many things just reading everyone’s postings. Reading and making the point to the case not knowing if I answer it correctly was quite revealing and eventually learning from how and what I post on each discussion. It’s ok to critique one’s posting but I also learn from good feedback. Here are just 10 of what I have learned in the past 10 weeks:
1. Age matters and it varies how you do counseling but as counselors no matter how old or what group or type of a person is, needs EMPATHY. (Demographic)
2. Internet has heaps of RESOURCES and information and it may add challenge or confuse a counselor looking for an answer but creatively, counselors can get the answer timely. (Website critiques)
3. It’s a MYTH that all elderly are weak. (Interview)
4. Every single patient's CULTURE (Religion, Ethnic background, etc.) must be integrated in all our counsel. (The Case of Mrs. Falcone)
5. Every age goes into TRANSITION so does the way or type of counseling should be correlated to current situation of patient. (The Case of Joel & Joan)
6. GROUP counseling helps patient see their shortcoming and strength in others. (The Case of Joel & Joan)
7. Counselors cannot get a perfect solution. In order to correct an issue (e.g. Divorce vs. Family's Health), a patient (counselor's advice or family) may have to CONCEDE into something. (The Case on Margaret, Jonathan & Ellen)
8. MEDICATION is complex and should be monitored and take into consideration in every session. (Medication Factor)
9. Counselors must NETWORK (outsource), LEAD or mentor others & be open to LEARN (or get a mentor) from other counselors by proper planning and organization. Managing a patient is priority and taking care of yourself and your team is another. (Drop out Rate)
10. Watching intelligently, counselors can learn a lot from a Hollywood MOVIE. (Film Analysis)
Tony Astro
Last edited on: December 5, 2008 2:14 PM
1. Age matters and it varies how you do counseling but as counselors no matter how old or what group or type of a person is, needs EMPATHY. (Demographic)
2. Internet has heaps of RESOURCES and information and it may add challenge or confuse a counselor looking for an answer but creatively, counselors can get the answer timely. (Website critiques)
3. It’s a MYTH that all elderly are weak. (Interview)
4. Every single patient's CULTURE (Religion, Ethnic background, etc.) must be integrated in all our counsel. (The Case of Mrs. Falcone)
5. Every age goes into TRANSITION so does the way or type of counseling should be correlated to current situation of patient. (The Case of Joel & Joan)
6. GROUP counseling helps patient see their shortcoming and strength in others. (The Case of Joel & Joan)
7. Counselors cannot get a perfect solution. In order to correct an issue (e.g. Divorce vs. Family's Health), a patient (counselor's advice or family) may have to CONCEDE into something. (The Case on Margaret, Jonathan & Ellen)
8. MEDICATION is complex and should be monitored and take into consideration in every session. (Medication Factor)
9. Counselors must NETWORK (outsource), LEAD or mentor others & be open to LEARN (or get a mentor) from other counselors by proper planning and organization. Managing a patient is priority and taking care of yourself and your team is another. (Drop out Rate)
10. Watching intelligently, counselors can learn a lot from a Hollywood MOVIE. (Film Analysis)
Tony Astro
Last edited on: December 5, 2008 2:14 PM
Subject: Re:Week 10: What I Have Learned from My HS8758 Class Topic: u10d2 Growth
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Jeannette Coaxum Date: December 6, 2008 9:02 AM
Hello Tony
This good post. I never thought about how each week discussion was broken down into particular topics. I enjoyed reading your post again.
Subject: Re:Week 10: What I Have Learned from My HS8758 Class Topic: u10d2 Growth
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Tarmen Siaway Date: December 6, 2008 9:09 AM
Tarmen Siaway
I agree with your post. I took a course in my Master program and it was interesting but it did not go into depth like this course did. I've learned so much about older people and the aging process. So many people just lump all old people into one category, when the elderly population is just as diverse as anything else. I didn't know ageism was so prevalent when it came to hiring practices. I was also unaware of the differnt approaches and interventions used to treat the elderly population such as: Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Life Review, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. This course has been beneficial to me as a student and practitioner.
Subject: Re:Week 10: What I Have Learned from My HS8758 Class Topic: u10d2 Growth
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Lena Matheos Date: December 7, 2008 3:42 PM
Great Post, Toni. I also have learned a great deal about the elderly population from you and all others in our class. The myths about the elderly are probably have been a growth area for me as well. As I have taken the views of others regarding the elderly being frail, senile, sick, and a burden on others and basically tossed them out the window as this class has shown me that no matter what age we are in we can all encounter physical and mental health issues, but it's in how we treat and deal with these issues that make a difference, and not in our biological years.
Lena Matheos