Counseling Services For Older Adults

true Program Director: Devah DeFusco, MFT 510-420-2475 Please also visit our <a href="../../subscriptions">contact form. </a>

2008-12-11T22:07:41Z

The Senior In-Home Counseling Program was founded in 1993 with a small grant from the Area Agency on Aging. Since then, the program has grown to provide seniors with a wide array of counseling and mental health services. In 2005, the program was expanded to accomadate older adults who are able to be seen in our north Oakland office.  Services include individual, couples and family counseling. In addition we offer a number of <a href="../../../support_groups" target="_self">support groups</a> designed to address the unique challenges of aging.  The In-Home program is a free program. We do accept donations but clients are not obligated to make a donation to receive services. The On-Site program has a sliding-scale fee but no one is refused services for lack of ability to pay. <ul> <li><a href="../../groups" target="_self">Women in Transition Over 55</a></li> <li><a href="../../groups" target="_self">Seniors and Gambling</a></li> <li><a href="../../groups" target="_self">Partner Loss Group</a></li> </ul> 6 To help seniors maintain their independence to the greatest extent possible and age in place by providing quality mental health services and emotional support. Research has indicated that one of the greatest issues for seniors is loneliness. The issue of social isolation coupled with depression, is an important factor that contributes to the high risk for suicide among this population. Older persons with depression rarely seek treatment for the illness and often don't recognize it for what it is, even though depression is the single most significant risk factors for suicide for older adults.  Seniors often suffer losses that include loved ones, health, income, and independence. The aim of CSS's Senior Counseling Programs is to provide a safe and supportive environment for participants, to help clients address issues of concern and maintain their independence. Many seniors use their time with us to share thoughts about their day-to-day lives, to reminisce about the past or to speculate about the future. All of these are good topics for discussion during counseling sessions. seniors <ul> <li><a href="http://sgec.stanford.edu" target="_blank">Stanford Geriatric Education Center</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/elders_and_disabled_adults/aaa.cfm" target="_blank">Area Agency on Aging</a></li> <li><a href="http://seniorcenterwithoutwalls.org/contact_us.html " target="_blank">Senior Center Without Walls</a> </li> </ul>

In-Home seniors clients must be 60 years of age or older. Special consideration is given to frail, high risk, homebound and/or socially isolated, low-income and minority elders who may not be able to acquire mental health services through more conventional means. All requests for service will be considered. At this time, we are only able to provide in-home services to central and north Alameda County.  On-Site senior clients must be 55 years of age or older and all requests for service will be considered.

Our Senior In-Home Counseling program provides in-home counseling, emotional support and telephone follow-ups to homebound and/or socially isolated seniors who would benefit from weekly counseling and who otherwise would not have access to mental health services. Many older adults would benefit greatly from supportive counseling but don't qualify for our In-Home Program. For those seniors, who are able to come to our north Oakland office, the same counseling services are available on-site.     Counseling is provided by mental health interns who are trained in gerontogy, grief, and crisis intervention counseling and are supervised by licensed professionals.   Counseling Services For Older Adults

2009-02-22T09:28:19Z

Crisis line counselors who successfully graduate from training, in addition to their crisis line commitment, have the opportunity for further training as a volunteer with the senior program. Clients are generally socially isolated and/or homebound seniors who otherwise would not have access to counseling and/or emotional support. Volunteers who visit clients in their homes are also required to attend a weekly two hour supervision group. Round trip mileage reimbursement is provided.

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