Bereavement Counseling

            If we are blessed, we will reach elderhood in our lifetime in relatively good health. Elderhood is the last stage in human growth and development. This stage usually includes those ages 75-100 years old. With the aging process comes a new set of challenges regarding health, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. Elder adults need caring and competent professionals to assist with the special needs of aging. Quality of life vs. quantity of life begins to be a real question by this stage depending on how well someone is aging and their health condition. What is left out of this conversation many times is their psychological, social, and spiritual condition. Most often the focus in elderhood is from a medical perspective and whether someone has chronic or acute illness and/or disease. “It is important for counselors to understand that quality of life is described often with both objective and subjective dimensions based on individuals’ life experiences during their lifespan” (Wong et al., 2021, p. 316).

            Other challenges faced by elder adults are the availability of social support systems, including family and friends. Social support becomes extremely important by this time with the real probability of many elder adults suffering from loneliness, isolation, and worthlessness. These factors including health, psychological, and spiritual well-being impacts life satisfaction. Life satisfaction is correlated with how someone views their quality of life at any one point (Wong et al., 2021). Erikson describes this developmental stage in life as Integrity vs. Despair (Wong et al., 2021). Implications of elderhood can be summarized as “Success at this stage leads to feelings of wisdom and satisfaction, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and old-age despair” (Wong et al., 2021, p. 327).

            Death is inevitable and no one escapes it, but everyone deserves to die with dignity and respect. The loss of a loved one can be experienced at any stage of life and is not exclusive to elder adults. However, from a professional perspective, it calls for specialized counselors who understand the end stages of life, grief, and bereavement. Therefore, a grief counselor can be involved with the dying person and loved ones before death and then the loved ones after death. A grief counselor being mindful of culture, spiritual beliefs, perceptions, and other individual needs is a basic tenet in the Code of Ethics for the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC, 2010). In a 2018 study, Bonavita et al. affirmed the need for and importance of spirituality in the end-stage process. It was found that those involved during this time sought interfaith spirituality that included non-traditional approaches and not necessarily a specific religion (Bonavita et al., 2018). Paul reminds us “But I would not have you to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have not hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, I Thessalonians 4:13-14).

The Association’s Code of Ethics addresses the responsibilities of a counselor in the end stages of life. The Code of Ethics reviews the responsibilities of grief counselors in providing clinical assistance to those served. One responsibility that the counselor has is to seek all information from the client and others involved with appropriate written consent (ADEC, 2010). The counselor needs as much information as possible to develop an individualized plan on how best to help the client. Another responsibility that the counselor has is to inform clients in writing and verbally of the limits of confidentially as governed by law (ADEC, 2010). The importance of securing verbal and written authorization is to establish that the client fully understands what is being requested or advised of them. It gives the client the opportunity to ask questions. Furthermore, it becomes a legal document to protect the parties involved. This also shows respect and dignity for the client.

References

 Association for Death Education and Counseling (2010). Code of Ethics. Louisville, KY: Author. https://wwwadec.org/page/Code_of_Ethics.

 Bonavita, A., Yakushko, O., Morgan Consoli, M. L., Jacobsen, S., & Mancuso, R. L. L. (2018). Receiving spiritual care: Experiences of dying and grieving individuals. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 76(4), 373-394. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222817693142.

 King James Bible (2017). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1769).

Wong, D.W., Hall, K.R., Hernandez, L.W. (2021). Counseling individuals through the lifespan (2^nd. Ed). Sage Publishing.