Weeks 1 & 2

Question 1

General principles of group work with older adults

Answer 1

• More directive approach used by group leader
• Leader provides much more support, encouragement, and empathy.
• Loss themes are recurrent
• Focus often on immediate problems.
• Physical and cognitive deficits must be considered.
• leader often shares more personal information and provides more physical contact.

Question 2

Burnside’s interpersonal needs of older adults

Answer 2

Unique issues group leader needs to address in beginning stage of group work with older adults:

• Need for Inclusion
• Need for Control
• Need for Affection

Question 3

Ethical and value challenges in group work with older adults

Answer 3

• Leaders’ duty to group vs. duty to individual
• Leaders’ duty to provide democratic leadership vs. their professional responsibility to intervene.
• Leaders’ obligations as employee & team members vs. their duty to the group
• Leaders obligation to ensure confidentiality vs. their duty to protect patient welfare.
• Leaders’ duty to the older adult group versus their need to support & protect research integrity

Question 4

Main theories of Aging

Answer 4

There are 4

Disengagement
Activity
Continuity
Role

Question 5

Relevant theoretical frameworks fro group work

Answer 5

There are 4

Systems Theory
Psycho-dynamic Theory
Learning Theory
Field Theory

Question 6

Disengagement

Answer 6

Main premise is that disengagement is normative in late-life.

Question 7

Activity

Answer 7

To successfully age, high levels of physical , mental, and social activities are needed.

Question 8

Continuity

Answer 8

To successfully age, evolution rather than homeostasis is needed.

Question 9

Role

Answer 9

To successful age, need to be able to role changes.

Question 10

Systems Theory

Answer 10

Group is dynamic system of interacting elements

Question 11

Psycho-dynamic theory

Answer 11

Group members act out unresolved conflicts from earlier life experiences. Yalom (1995) modified by emphasizing the importance of the here-and-now, referred to as INTERPERSONAL GROUP THERAPY

Question 12

Learning Theory

Answer 12

Focus of group is on helping members learn new behaviors

Question 13

Field Theory

Answer 13

Group is a gestalt, an evolving entity of opposing forces that move group along in quest for goal achievement

Question 14

Core Underlying theoretical concepts of therapy groups

Answer 14

There are 3

Autonomy
Interdependence
Responsibility

Question 15

Autonomy

Answer 15

Each of us is born with the potential to choose more authentic growth of the self

Question 16

Interdependence

Answer 16

is the basis for the groups potential for mutual aid

Question 17

Responsibility

Answer 17

The central task of group process is to empower group members to take more responsibility for their choices and self-actualization.

Question 18

Group Content vs. Group Process

Answer 18

Group Content:

• What is said in group
• The purpose & function of a group

Group Process:

• How and why things are said in group
• The interaction among group members in the here-and-now

Question 19

Yalom on Processing (definition)

Answer 19

Processing refers to a leader’s verbal response to something that is happening in a group in a particular moment.

Question 20

Purpose of Processing

Answer 20

1. It can bring into the open something that the leader feels about himself/herself, a member, or the group as a whole
2. It can be used to provide feedback about some aspect of a specific interaction as it occurs
3. Can be used to shift focus to the here-and-now

Question 21

processing limitations

Answer 21

Not appropriate for all groups

Question 22

Yalom’s Curative Factors

Answer 22

There are 11

1. Instillation of hope
2. Universality
3. Imparting of information
4. Altruism
5. Family recapitulation
6. Socializing technique
7. Imitative behavior
8. Interpersonal Learning
9. Group cohesiveness
10. Catharsis
11. Existential Factors