Mutual Biases Underlying the Problematic Relationship between Older Adults and Mental Health Providers: Any Solution in Sight?

Abstract

As the size and diversity of the older population increases, mental health providers will be called upon to deliver high-quality services to the elderly. However, many of these professionals hold negative attitudes toward the elderly; psychotherapy conducted with older adults by clinicians with such biases could represent a waste of time and energy, as well as money, for these clients. This article reviews studies conducted within the past three decades on the biases held by mental health professionals (primarily psychiatrists and psychologists) toward older patients and vice versa. It also discusses possible solutions to the conflicts within the elderly-mental health provider relationship, based on the contributions made by professionals from various health care disciplines on this topic. Moreover, this article takes into account various ethnicity-related issues that are often at play in the relationship in question, and provides research and clinical recommendations for the enhancement of the quality of this relationship. It is time to find successful and interdisciplinary ways to improve how older adults and mental health professionals deal with one another. These efforts should creatively enhance the quality of the mental health services offered to older patients, in addition to dispelling age-related myths and corresponding obstacles to the utilization of these needed services by older adults.

Enhancing computer self-efficacy and attitudes in multi-ethnic older adults: a randomised controlled study

“…It would be ideal to recruit future participants from different areas of the USA; gender differences could also be explored. In this regard, of particular interest would be research to corroborate the findings of Karavidas et al 2004 that, although older men and women use computer technology at a similar rate, older women browse the Web for health-related information more than men. If such results were to be replicated, efforts should be made to encourage especially older men (as well as older women) to use the Web for health-related purposes because, as previously mentioned, prior research indicates that older adults can reap many health-related benefits from using the Web.…”

“…Such hierarchies are perpetuated via media stereotypes, among other agents: older age is characterized as a time in which adaptation to emerging demands (such as those of computerized technology) is often viewed as unobtainable and/or to be mocked. Ageism against older adults is perpetrated by individuals of all ages, including mental health professionals (Laganà and Shanks 2002), who could be the ones administering computer technology training (as in the case of the present study). Sensitivity to these issues is certainly needed when attempting to impart competent computer technology training to older adults.…”

Predicting counseling psychologists attitudes and clinical judgments with respect to older adults

“…Underutilization of mental health services by elders is hypothesized to be caused by several factors including older persons' perceptions of mental health treatment and ageism on the part of the clinician (Lagana & Shanks, 2002). Lagana and Shanks report an apparent tendency among the current elder cohort, as well as the population at large, to perceive psychological problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment) as part of normal aging.…”

Successful Aging

“…. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, age was shown to be an important factor in shaping interpersonal behavior and communication, often to the disadvantage of older adults (Laganà & Shanks, 2002;. 323 example, closely match the direction of actual age differences Löckenhoff, et al, 2009), although the degree of age-related changes tends to be overestimated (Kite, Stockdale, Whitley, & Johnson, 2005).…”