Geriatrics, Geriatric Psychology, Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy with Older Adults

Name: Psychotherapy with Older Adults
Author: Bob Knight
ISBN: 9780761923732

by Bob Knight

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Overview

This Third Edition of the bestselling Psychotherapy with Older Adults continues to offer students and professionals a thorough overview of psychotherapy with older adults. Using the contextual, cohort-based, maturity, specific challenge (CCMSC) model, it draws upon findings from scientific gerontology and life-span developmental psychology to describe how psychotherapy needs to be adapted for work with older adults, as well as when it is similar to therapeutic work with younger adults. Sensitively linking both research and experience, author Bob G. Knight provides a practical account of the knowledge, technique, and skills necessary to work with older adults in a therapeutic relationship. This volume considers the essentials of gerontology as well as the nature of therapy in depth, focusing on special content areas and common themes.

The book contains no figures.

About the Author, Bob Knight

Bob G. Knight, Ph.D., is the Merle H. Bensinger Professor of Gerontology, Psychology, and Counseling Psychology at the Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, where he also serves as Director of the Tingstad Older Adult Counseling Center and faculty director of the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center. He is currently serving the Department of Psychology as Director of Clinical Training. His research interests include caregiving, emotion and aging, and mental health policy and aging, and he has published extensively in mental health and aging, including this book, Outreach with the Elderly (NYU Press, 1989), and Older Adults in Psychotherapy: Case Histories (Sage, 1992). He is the senior editor of Mental Health Services for Older Adults: Implications for Training & Practice in Geropsychology (1995), and a co-editor of A Guide to Psychotherapy & Aging: Effective Clinical Interventions in a Life-Stage Context (1996), both published by APA Books. Dr. Knight has been active in various professional organizations relating to psychology and aging. He served as President of Section II, Division 12 (Clinical Geropsychology) of the American Psychological Association in 1997. He is currently (2002-2003) President Elect of APA Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging), and he served as chair of the APA Committee in Aging in 2001. Dr. Knight received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington. His professional experience in working with older adults began while working at the Urban League of Madison County (IN) where he organized and served as first president of the Madison County Council on Aging in 1973.

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Editorials

Journal Of Applied Gerontology

"Bob G. Knight's largest contribution is his excellent discussion of therapy. The book is clearly written, with a good use of summaries and case examples to clarify the major points. By linking research findings to practice experience, Knight has provided a pragmatic introduction which should be helpful to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses working with older adults. "

Behavior Research & Therapy

"I recommend this book to anyone interested in working with the elderly, partly because of the content and partly because the author presents the case for doing psychotherapy with the elderly with realism and enthusiasm. "

JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY

BEHAVIOR RESEARCH & THERAPY

Kathleen E. Sherrell

The author provides an overview of scientific gerontology for therapeutic interventions with the elderly. He uses sound research findings and proceeds to give concrete clinical examples in connecting theory and practice. The author defines the need for therapists to view the elderly as unique and complex. Therefore, although they are at a similar place in the life span, their issues in therapy are even more varied than younger people, since they bring so much more expertise about life in general. A wide audience can learn from this book. Even though professionals in the field may not be exposed to anything totally new, the author presents innovative ideas about old topics. He also writes clearly enough to be understood by students and those with little experience working with the elderly. The author successfully dismantles the myth that therapeutic work with the elderly is primarily a way to help them deal with all their losses. Although he emphasizes that therapists need to be comfortable with aging and death, he also reminds them that many elderly persons come to therapy to find new meaning in their present life and get help in dealing with family, lovers, and numerous other problems. The author presents an excellent overview of working in therapy with the elderly. He reminds therapists that they need to be comfortable with loss, death, and disability as well as be open to learning new things from their clients. Because the book covers such a large topical area, there is some superficiality and oversimplification, particularly in the chapter on assessment and on the topic of transference and countertransference. Despite these shortcomings, the book is meaty, and I recommend itfor professionals in the field of gerontology as well as newcomers with little prior knowledge.

From The Critics

Reviewer: Kathleen E. Sherrell, PsyD (Northwestern University Medical School)
Description: The author provides an overview of scientific gerontology for therapeutic interventions with the elderly. He uses sound research findings and proceeds to give concrete clinical examples in connecting theory and practice.
Purpose: The author defines the need for therapists to view the elderly as unique and complex. Therefore, although they are at a similar place in the life span, their issues in therapy are even more varied than younger people, since they bring so much more expertise about life in general.
Audience: A wide audience can learn from this book. Even though professionals in the field may not be exposed to anything totally new, the author presents innovative ideas about old topics. He also writes clearly enough to be understood by students and those with little experience working with the elderly.
Features: The author successfully dismantles the myth that therapeutic work with the elderly is primarily a way to help them deal with all their losses. Although he emphasizes that therapists need to be comfortable with aging and death, he also reminds them that many elderly persons come to therapy to find new meaning in their present life and get help in dealing with family, lovers, and numerous other problems.
Assessment: The author presents an excellent overview of working in therapy with the elderly. He reminds therapists that they need to be comfortable with loss, death, and disability as well as be open to learning new things from their clients. Because the book covers such a large topical area, there is some superficiality and oversimplification, particularly in the chapter on assessment and on the topic of transference and countertransference. Despite these shortcomings, the book is meaty, and I recommend it for professionals in the field of gerontology as well as newcomers with little prior knowledge.

Booknews

A second edition of the thorough examination of therapeutic work with older adults and the age specific issues involved. Knight (gerontology and psychology, U. of Southern California) discusses the psychotherapeutic adaptations needed to build rapport and assess an older client, transference and countertransference, grief work, and life review psychotherapy. The revised edition includes a new concluding chapter that considers ethical questions and the future of psychotherapy with older adults. Paper edition (unseen), $18.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

4 Stars! from Doody