COUNSELLING IN LATER LIFE David Richards Psychotherapist previously

COUNSELLING IN LATER LIFE David Richards, Psychotherapist & previously Counselling Services Manager, Age UK Camden

Emotional needs in later life • Loneliness: importance of relationships and social interaction • Housing: need for safe and secure accommodation • Equally need for personal contentment & peace of mind

Why counselling? • Counselling is not for all • Important emotional needs may be met by other experiences/services: • E. g. reliable group of family/friends • Befriending, social/support groups • Our social/support needs vary

Internal world • Our psychological needs reflect our character and our personal history • Our situation in later life may have changed, esp. in terms of experience of loss • Our needs may therefore be similar or different than in the past

Camden’s approach • Age Concern Camden (as it was in 1998) identified research about depression in parts of the borough within communities of older adults • ACC bid for funding from two trust funds, one local and one national

Funding & Resources • Initial funding was just for 18 months • One p/t Counselling Manager • Use of volunteer counsellors (trainees wishing to develop their clinical experience): expenses paid • Thus limited financial resources to support a fully functioning service

How it worked 1 • Manager assessed each client referred • Clients referred by GPs and other professionals • But clients could also self-refer • Provision of home visits where needed

How it worked 2 • Volunteer counsellors provided weekly sessions for up to one year • Counsellors attended clinical supervision with manager on fortnightly basis • Volunteers attended regular training workshops run by ACC

Ongoing funding • Further funding was successfully achieved, initially from the local Primary Care Group • This has developed over time into a new partnership (from 2011) with the local NHS Trust

Why so few? 1 • It is important to ask the question: Why have there been so few other counselling services within local Age UK agencies? • Resources may always be limited, but Camden’s experience shows what can be achieved

Why so few? 2 • Is there some resistance to setting up a psychological service within the Age UK environment? • Such a service is of course different to many of the other kinds of services commonly provided, which are primarily practical and social

Why so few? 3 • Maybe there’s lack of understanding about what is required to establish a counselling service? • Maybe emotional/psychological support is seen as less important than practical/social support? • We are living longer: emotional needs are also very important…