Aged Care Counselling – Why Study?
This aged care counselling online course suitable to the needs of those who are providing support to the elderly in both a professional or informal way and who would like improve their skills and understanding of the issues facing the elderly and their families at their own convenience through distance learning. Through this course, you will learn how to counsel the elderly and those suffering from dementia and other diseases, learn what happens to a person’s state of mind as they age, discover ways in which a counselor, carer or anyone else might interact with and support an older person, expand your knowledge and skills for professional development; or to better help those around you.
Who is this Course for?
This course is highly recommended to anyone working in nursing homes, aged care, counselling, community services or anyone who has to help someone with age and health related issues.
What you will do in this course:
- To discuss theories of ageing, and to develop an understanding of the different stages of human development.
- To describe the psychological impact of changes which occur as a person reaches old age
- To understand the effect of physical health problems on older people.
- Describe the nature and scope of support services, including counseling, for the elderly.
- Describe a range of solutions that can enable an elderly person to adapt to changed circumstances in order to continue performing tasks or pursuing interests that are becoming increasingly difficult for them.
- Explain how a variety of counseling techniques can be applied to specific Grief and loss situations for counseling elderly persons.
- Develop a strategy for counseling an elderly person who has been diagnosed with a debilitating or terminal illness.
- Develop a strategy for counselling an elderly person who has lost a loved one.
- Determine when and how to intervene in the life of an elderly person.
Lesson Structure
- Gerontology
- Ageing (Definition)
- Population Ageing
- The Effects of the Ageing Population
- Theories of Human Development
- Erikson’s Theory of Development
- Levinson
- Theories of Retirement
- Disengagement Theory
- Activity Theory
- Atchley’s Model of Retirement
- Relationships – with Children, with Partners (Husband/wife), with Grandchildren
- Friendships
- Sexuality and Older People
- Cognitive Changes
- Intelligence
- Depression
- Determining Type of Depression
- Unipolar and Bipolar Disorders
- Causes of Depression
- Risk factors for Depression
- Men and Depression
- Symptoms of Depression
- Physical Changes (Skin, Hair, Height, Senses)
- Reflexes
- Sex
- Chronic Health Problems – Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout
- Exercise
- Diet
- Nutrition
- Pain relief
- Medication
- Stress
- Preventative Services
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Complimentary Practitioners
- Counseling Professionals
- Other Support Services (e.g. Meals on Wheels, Funeral Services)
- Common Risks for Elderly: Risk of Falling, Vision, Hearing, Nutrition, Sexuality.
- Techniques to maintain Quality of Life: Driving a car, banking, shopping, house cleaning, Gardening, Socializing, Pets, Exercise, Sports
- Grief (Definition)
- Psychological aspects of Long Term Grief
- Family, Work, Financial, Loneliness, Morality after bereavement
- Counselors Response and Intervention
- Practical Intervention, Depression
- Dementia
- Kinds of Dementia (Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia)
- Strategies for Counseling the Demented Client
- Communication, Daily Activities, Sleeping Difficulties, Hallucinations and Delusions, Wandering, Depression, Terminal Illness: Patients Response, Anxiety, Depression, Guilt & Anger, Defense Mechanisms.
- Preparing for Approaching Death; Practical Preparations, Emotional Responses, Responses of Friends and Family
- Importance of Loss
- Assessment
- Role of the Deceased
- Death of a Child
- Stigmatized Death
- Co-Morbidity. Counseling Strategies: Bibliotherapy, Use of Rituals, Bereavement Support Groups.
- Special Therapeutic Situations: Traumatic, Sudden, and Stigmatized Loss, Ongoing Support, Social Stigmas of Suicide
- Barriers to Aged Care Counseling
- Addressing the Client’s Needs
- Common Legal and Ethical issues in Aged Care: Decision Making Capacity, Competence, Informed Consent, Confidentiality, Euthanasia
Enrol Now
- Experienced Tutor support
- Certificate sent to you
- Online study (Printed notes available)
- Self paced - no set timetable
- 12 months to complete course
From: $25.00 / week for 26 weeks