Group Work with the Deinstitutionalized Elderly

Abstract

Two series of group sessions were conducted with elderly residents of a group home for deinstitutionalized mental hospital residents. Entitled, "Improving Communication Skills," the sessions were designed to enhance the residents' verbal and non-verbal communication skills and to lay the foundation for greater interpersonal contacts. An evaluation of this pilot program suggests that it did, in fact, help participants improve their interpersonal skills. The paper concludes with suggestions for the establishment of similar groups. Bent Ingcrsoll is Research Fallow a t the InstiluteforSocial Research and thcInsrltu~e of Gerontolo~~: Carol Hollonshcad is Director of Promam DeveloomenL at the Institute ~s ~~ ~---~ ~~of ~e r o n t o l o z : The