Theology: Practical Theology: Aging

The only textbook explicitly designed to address counseling with adults who are coping with individual, relationship, and work transitions, this volume integrates the basic tenets of adult development with therapeutic practice. It is based on Schlossberg's theory of transitions, a new process and content model that offers effective techniques for helping adults to understand and successfully navigate normal life transitions. This revised edition addresses contemporary societal ills that exacerbate adult life transitions, such as a tumultuous economy, increased unemployment, bankruptcies, and foreclosures, and focuses on our increasing racial and cultural diversity. The volume also expands its consideration of spiritual and social justice issues and provides a more integrated and holistic approach to adult transitional counseling. Key Features of the New Edition: Based on Schlossberg's technique, a new model for counseling adults in transition Offers practical new strategies and exercises for use in transitional counseling Addresses unemployment and coping in an uncertain social/economic context Focuses on loss and resilience, diversity, culture, social justice, and spirituality Contains new sections on transitioning to adulthood, living arrangements including diverse family structures, mobility, siblings, in-laws, and retirement Introduces new concepts such as collectivist coping, hardiness, mindfulness, and transcendence

Health and social care practitioners are increasingly called upon to provide care to elderly people from a number of different faiths and cultures. This collection of essays examines ageing in the context of the many faiths and cultures that make up Western society, and provides carers with the knowledge they need to deliver sensitive and appropriate care to people of all faiths. Chapters are written by authoritative figures from each of the world's major faith groups about the beliefs and practices of their older people. Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Buddhist perspectives are covered, as well as those of ageing veterans and ageing religious sisters. Issues of appropriate care are also addressed, and the book includes recommendations for policy and practice. This accessible and inspiring book will be a useful text for academics, policy makers and practitioners in health and social care, aged care workers, pastoral carers, chaplains and religious professionals, in hospital, residential and other care settings.

Newly revised and updated In this second edition, Brody and Semel contend that meaningful and successful therapy can be accomplished with an aging population, debunking the belief that the elderly can not pick up or put into practice newly acquired information. Rather, the way in which therapy with aging adults is approached may affect the way in which the therapist initially experiences and reacts to the client because of stereotypes about aging. This book encompasses three major areas of work with elderly clients aged 60 years and older: Living in nursing homes Living in assisted living housing, while participating in community-oriented activities for the aged Living independently and being seen in private practice It comprises a variety of approaches, ranging from eclectic small group formats for nursing home residents, group and individual counseling in assisted living settings, and home care for the elderly, to psychoanalytic therapy techniques in private practice. Illustrative case examples used throughout the book bring to life successful strategies and interventions. New areas of focus include: Treatment of stress and mental disorders Alzheimer's disease Caregiving issues at home Expanded information on Medicare coverage issues

Spiritual Growth and Care in the Fourth Age of Life explores the spiritual dimension of ageing and investigates the role of pastoral and spiritual care in helping the frail elderly cope with end-of-life issues. Focusing on the experience of nursing home residents and anecdotes gathered in interviews, MacKinlay sensitively presents the struggles facing older people in need of care, such as loss of independence and privacy. Her findings show that despite ill health, loneliness and depression, older people near the end of their lives find meaning and support in (re)discovering their spirituality, and that this is not just the experience of those in care facilities, but of older people more generally. The book includes a useful chapter on spiritual assessment, providing carers with information on how to recognise the need for care. This book will be of interest to nurses, care workers, pastoral support professionals and anyone else working with older people.

This innovative and sensitive guide to providing spiritual care to people with dementia features original methods drawn from the author's experiences of working with over 1,000 individuals with dementia. It provides creative new ways for chaplains to connect with patients whose spiritual needs are all too often neglected. Ranging from the author's personal experience, factual information about different kinds of dementia and the challenges of pastoral care, it provides instructions for staging a multi-sensory spiritual care intervention with patients. Included are links to exclusive online resources of the author's video presentations and photographs for use in treatment. This insightful work will prove an essential resource for all chaplains working with people living with dementia, and will enable them to achieve both exceptional patient care and a sense of personal accomplishment.