Older adult paraprofessionals: Working with and in behalf of older adults

Abstract

Phyllis Amaral This critical review is focused on six selected issues relevant to those programs in which older paraprofessionals work with their elderly peers: (a) the overall emphasis on preventive mental health benefits for the helpers via the provision of meaningful roles; (b) the range of roles of older paraprofessionals, including peer counseling, casework and outreach, community organization and gerontological advocacy, and other adjunctive roles in agencies; (c) the wide diversity in recruitment, selection, and training practices; (d) the rationale of indigenousness or helper‐helpce age similarity as uniquely enhancing the effectiveness of older paraprofessionals; (e) the marginal integration of elderly paraprofessional programs into the mental health system; and (f) the paucity of program outcome evaluations. In considering each issue, an attempt is made to focus on embedded empirical concerns and the continuing need for establishing a research‐oriented literature commensurate with the recent growth of clinical and community interest in elderly peer paraprofessional strategies.

Global Aging: Challenges for Community Psychology

“…There are a few community psychologists who are addressing the problems of the aged and a few highlights can be noted. Some are involved in community building and advocacy with older adults (Nystrom and Jones 2003;Wolfe 1987), some focus on strengthening community institutions that can provide support to older adults (Maton 1989), a few are finding creative ways of using seniors as community volunteers and service providers (Gatz et al 1984;Szendre and Jose 1996), and still fewer are working with policymakers to improve the lives of older people, whether residing in the community or nursing homes (Cheng and Chan 2003;Cheng et al 2008). But overall, this is a very small group.…”

Senior center counseling services: A national survey

“…As previous authors have noted (Bratter & Freeman, 1990;Gatz, Hileman & Amaral, 1984), the informal beginnings and nature of many senior peer counseling programs have precluded the usual research data, especially outcome, that may accompany other types of counseling services. Although much has been written on the successes of individual programs, no systematic study has yet been done which attempts to integrate descriptive data on a national level.…”

“…Despite the growth in support and experience associated with these services, to date little research has been done on them (Gatz, Hileman, & Amaral, 1984). Part of the reason for this seems to be that there is great diversity in how and where these services are provided, and even in how peer counseling has been previously defined.…”

“…Although no literature has been found which provides factual evidence on the total number of peer counseling programs that may now exist in this country, several articles discuss the rapid proliferation of these services (Bratter & Freeman, 1990;Gatz, Hileman, & Amaral, 1984;Kirkpatrick & Patchner, 1987). This proliferation seems especially significant when one considers the fact that there has been little change in the utilization rate of traditional community mental health services by the elderly over the past 25 years (Butler & Sulliman, 1963;Flemming, Rickards, Santos, & West, 1986;Kramer, Taube, & Redick, 1973;MacDonald, 1987).…”

“…Of all the potential advantages of peer counseling programs cited in the literature, the benefits that volunteer counselors receive are the most often mentioned. These benefits are often assumed or acknowledged rather than being formally measured, however (Gatz, Hileman, & Amaral, 1984). Five studies (Byrd, 1984;Freeman et al, 1986;Gallagher, 1985;Gatz et al, 1982;Petty & Cusack, 1989) were found which reported on this topic through the use of outcome measures.…”