Valuing Older People: Positive Psychological Practice

ISBN-13: 9780470683347 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 224 str.

Elspeth Stirling

Opis

This book examines the growing importance of positive psychology and its connection to later life.

• Applies Social Role Valorisation (SVR) principles to care of older people, particularly those with seriously disabling conditions such as dementia, stroke, and multiple health problems
• Provides a comprehensive body of positive principles and practical approaches for those who care for older people
• Examines the impact of the devaluation of older people's lives in the context of societies dependent on technology
• Demonstrates how more age-inclusive societies and open awareness of later-life issues are fundamental to strong communities, as well as to personal happiness and resilience

Recenzje

"In general, Valuing Older People fulfills its promise to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing older people while simultaneously providing a new paradigm approach that both addresses the prejudice against this population as well as focuses on better understanding the whole person. This book will appeal to clinicians and caregivers who are interested in working with this population. Researchers may also find value in this book as a means of exploring possible areas of study." ( PsycCRITIQUES, February 2011)

Spis treści

List of Tables and Figures vii

About the Author and Book ix

1 The Psychology and Ecology of Ageing 1

2 Preventive Psychology in Later Life 17

3 Assessment in the New Paradigm 47

4 New Paradigm Principles for Intervention 59

5 Older People with Cognitive Disabilities 87

6 New Paradigm Principles of Service Design 135

7 Psychological Therapies with Older People 155

References 189

Index 199

O autorze

Now an independent writer, Elspeth Stirling practiced as a Clinical Psychologist for 28 years, specializing in work with older people in the National Health Service in the UK. She has trained in Social Role Valorization (SRV)–based service design, and run training courses for residential, nursing, social work, and clinical care staff who work with older people with dementia and other disabilities, and mental health problems.

Blurb

Valuing Older People applies Social Role Valorization (SRV) and positive psychology principles to our thinking about how we can contribute to better humanitarian care for people in later life. SRV theory is based on the idea that society devalues particular groups of people identified as fundamentally different , in this case older people and especially those with dementia, ongoing physical disabilities and illnesses, and end–of–life issues.

In this book, Elspeth Stirling applies SRV not only in counteracting this view of older people being valueless, but also in demonstrating that they have a beneficial effect on society as a whole. Similarly, positive psychology theory is used to outline the strengths and virtues which enable both older individuals and the wider community to thrive. Stirling argues that the presence of older people coping with disabilities helps all age groups to develop the personal attributes necessary to cope in a world where ecological resources are becoming ever more scarce.

Providing numerous examples for readers to follow and adopt for their own practice, Valuing Older People is a practical guide for anyone working in both public and private care services for older people.