Promoting Successful Aging: Problems, Opportunities, and Counseling Guidelines

Abstract

In this article the author presents an overview of problems, opportunities, and guidelines related to promoting successful aging. We are living longer, but not necessarily with high levels of health or wellness. Counseling interventions prior to the elder years could promote higher levels of health and wellness that would persist well into old age. This would benefit the individual and society. The purpose of this article is to motivate counselors to become more active in helping individuals and society to age more successfully.

Associations between perception of wellness and health‐related quality of life, comorbidities, modifiable lifestyle factors and demographics in older Australians

“…As people age they may be at risk of believing the stereotypical view of old age as decline and increasing frailty and that old people having no value. Unless they become conscious of this pattern of thinking, take control over it and change, they risk becoming what they believe [8,9]. In order to enable older adults to challenge these stereotypical views, however, health professionals may need to understand how older people describe wellness and which elements of wellness have priority when choices have to be made between different activities.…”

Baby Boomers Mature and Gerontological Counseling Comes of Age

“…It will be the baby boomers themselves, as well as their counselors, who can bring a positive "spin" to life's later years. In the literature on aging, one encounters key words like creativity (Kastenbaum, 1992), attitude (Chesser, 2003), positivism (Ponzo, 1992), and wellness (Myers & Schwiebert, 1996. Kastenbaum (1992) described creativity in the mature years.…”

“…Promoting Self-Empowerment Through Gerontological Counseling Ponzo (1992) wrote that successful aging is described as "staying vital longer by reaching for and emphasizing the positive aspects of life, of seeing what is possible, instead of…”

“…According to Callahan (1987), "we must envision a health span revolution that brings full functioning to almost the end of life: a revolution that will be fueled by coordinated research, clinical and educational efforts of professionals in the behavioral, social and biological sciences" (p. 101). Counselors must be prepared to help people resolve the issues they see related to aging, and as Ponzo (1992) said, "counselors can play a key role in helping people strive for and live out a vital, enjoyable and fruitful long life" (p. 213). CACREP (2001) has provided the standards for gerontological counseling programs that are necessary for counselors to possess when working with older clients.…”

Demographic Variables and Flourishing Among Elderly: A Review

“…The elderly frequently face challenges due to ageing process including illness, loss, futility, and even death (Ponzo, 1992). They are also at higher risk to experience various types of mental health problems (Kwag, Martin, Russell, Franke, & Kohut, 2011).…”