Introduction
Group work was developed as a means, or put differently, a therapy that would help people who have experienced the same experience to cope with shared problems collectively. Older people are one of those population groups that face the most health, social, and environmental problems. It is why social workers and social scientists must know which topics worry seniors and how group work can help them. They should also have knowledge of which support groups are appropriate and most effective. In this paper, the author explores the topics that concern seniors the most, identifies the scientifically proven benefits of group work for seniors, and describes which support groups specialists should offer.
Seniors’ Topics of Concern
Depression
It can be safely assumed that physical and mental health are two major categories of concern among the elderly population. There are a large number of cases of depression among seniors, which makes depression a topic of critical concern for them. The World Health Organization states that “unipolar depression occurs in 7% of the general older population” (1 para. 11). DeSmith et al. identify such factors that cause depression in the senior generation as “social isolation, loss of independence, despair, physical and mental impairment” (2 p. 42). Depression among seniors is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
Dementia
Dementia is another topic of concern for the older generation. It is because the elderly are most susceptible to this neurological disorder. The World Health Organization notes that “it mainly affects older people, although it is not a normal part of aging” (1 para. 8). It is essential to mention that there are about fifty million people with dementia, and more than half of them do not have sufficient financial resources to treat the disorder (1). The high rates of dementia among seniors and its incurability make this neurological disorder a topic of concern for the elderly.
The Proven Benefits of Group Work for Seniors
The Psychological Healing Effect of Group Work
Group work aims to help people who have experienced the same or similar issues and alleviate their suffering. It is scientifically proven to be beneficial for seniors to participate in group work. In their research, Duyan et al. state that “clients who received group treatment-experienced reductions in depression and their psychosocial functioning improved” (3 p. 366). Communication and social interaction are some of the critical components of depression treatment. However, it has to be noted that the study was conducted only among elderly nursing home residents.
Group Work Improves Quality Of Life
It can be safely said that group work is beneficial for the senior generation not only in terms of psychological well-being but also in terms of quality of life. Salomoni et al. note that social group work interventions significantly improve older people’s overall quality of life (4). The most significant positive impact is seen in such life domains as physical and mental health, societal relationships, and environmental health (4). It is noteworthy that the study was made in the Iranian setting. It means that some adaptation may be required for this group work.
Effective Support Groups for the Elderly.
Considerations about the Elderly with Dementia
There is an important thing about dementia that social workers should always remember when offering seniors support groups. It is that this neurological disorder is an incurable one. Therefore, the support group that specialists propose to them should be aimed at alleviating the suffering of the elderly and the effects of this syndrome. One such group is an empowerment-oriented support group th, which was already mentioned in this work.
Empowerment-Oriented Support Groups
The author of this paper believes that to help older people with depression and dementia, professionals should consider empowerment-oriented support groups as appropriate support groups. This type of support group provides seniors with efficient group work that improves their lives and all its aspects (4). However, social sciences specialists should also remember that such a model of group work described in the research by Salomoni et al. has not been practiced in elderly communities of non-Iranian culture.
Conclusion
This work explores the most common topics of concern to the senior population, what group work can provide for the elderly, and what should be considered when proposing a support group. It was found that older people are most often concerned about the category of health. Mental health has a special place because it directly affects the physical one. The senior population is particularly worried about the topics of depression and dementia associated with age. The author of this paper also found that group work is an effective method that not only effectively treats depression and eases the symptoms of dementia but also improves the overall quality of life. An important note is that the author of this work hopes that this work will be useful for novice social workers who have problems analyzing information concerning the elderly and their issues.
References
World Health Organization. Mental health of older adults. [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization.
DeSmith R, Gharipour M. Elderly depression in senior care facilities: primary causes, effects, and mitigation. IJBHR [Internet]. 2016; 6(1): 42-57.
Duyan V, Şahin-Kara G, Camur Duyan G, Özdemir B, Megahead HA. The effects of group work with institutionalized elderly persons. RSWP [Internet]. 2017; 27(3): 366-374.
Salomoni F, Addelyan Rasi H, Hosseinzadeh S. Empowering elderly Iranians through a social group work intervention: A trial study to assess the effect of the intervention on participants’ quality of life. Health Soc. Care Community [Internet]. 2018; 26(6): 917-924.