Psychological-clinical counseling in the elderly
Carlo Cristini, Mario Fulcheri
Over the course of aging many functional changes take place and they require continuous re-adjustment. The specific condition of an elderly person is characterized by their personality and biography. The attitude of being depressed, defined as «depressivity», is frequent in the elderly. On a psychodynamic level, the central question of a depressive condition is represented by feelings of loss. Psychological-clinical counseling helps to understand separation anxieties, facilitate overcoming of grief and rediscover the positive experience of living. A holistic attitude towards the health and history of the elderly person is required in a counseling psychologist. Loneliness, psychosomatic disorders, accumulation of losses, and fear of physical and mental disability represent the most frequent problems of the elderly. Psychological-clinical counseling facilitates support of the elderly and helps them on their existential journey.
Keywords
Aging, psychological-clinical counseling, distressed elderly people, depression.
