What can we help with?
Depression & Anxiety
Depression, fear, and anxiety are some of the most common and uncomfortable emotions that we can experience at some point in our lives. Many older adults are at an increased risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety and/or depression, neurological disorders, substance use problems, as well as other health conditions. Depression is a treatable medical condition—like diabetes or hypertension—and not a normal part of aging. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT) have the strongest evidence base for treating patients with late-life depression. Our counselors are skilled in these modalities to help you recover motivation, perspective, and joy that you once had in your life.
Grief and Loss
Grief is the complex process of experiencing emotional, physical, psychological, behavioral, social, and spiritual reactions to loss.
While it is an inevitable reality for all of us, older adults have unique and often worse effects from loss. Older adults are at a much higher risk for severe health problems due to increased stress levels combined with current health conditions and natural physical aging processes. Confusion is a common effect of grief. For an older adult, this can be more intense and include forgetfulness, disorientation, and disorganization. The cognitive side effects combined with increased emotional struggles can cause grief to linger . We can help you overcome these symptoms and guide you through the process of grief and healing.
Dementia/Alzheimers/Mild Cognitive Impairment
“People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases are going through profound life changes — coping with the realities of an incurable disease that is stealing their abilities and their memories. Counseling offers a place to process the losses, develop ways to cope, and find meaning in their current situation."
---Drew Ruth, Alzheimer's Association.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has shown beneficial not only for mood disorders like anxiety and depression, but also involves cognitive restructuring or changing negative thoughts to more positive ones. This is most beneficial in the earlier stages of dementia. It can also be extremely helpful for couples and benefit the spouse of the person with dementia as well.
Caregiver Stress
The caregivers of loved ones are often the hidden victims of the aging process. They can become completely overwhelmed as the role as a caregiver becomes all-encompassing. Taking care
of someone can easily become an identity that gets affirmed and reinforced until it comes at nearly the complete expense of self-care. The caregiver’s emotional and physical health frequently begin to decline. Counseling can help clients to process age related diseases and the disrupted roles within the family and ways to support selfcare.
Social Isolation and Loneliness
Social isolation and loneliness, despite being different, are connected and can deeply impact quality of life for older adults.The physical, emotional, and mental health of older adults are directly impacted by social connection. There are proactive steps older adults can take to reduce the harmful effects related to isolation and loneliness. Our counselors are here to help provide linkages to social connections and provide support.
Difficult Life Transitions
Late life is commonly a period of transitions (eg, retirement, relocation, health changes) and adjustment to losses. Bereavement affects many aspects of an older person’s life. For example, social interaction and companionship decrease, and social status may change. All of this can create a difficult time to process these changes. Working with a professional counselor can be an invaluable resource when navigating major life transitions. Our counselors provide a safe and supportive environment to help process these changes and help provide coping skills.