Peer Counselor Training with the Elderly

Comparing the effectiveness of peer mentoring and student mentoring in a 35-week fitness program for older adults

“…Older adult applicants were recruited from the local community through program announcements on local television channels and newspapers. Each applicant’s potential as a peer mentor was assessed by questionnaire based on previously developed screening criteria (Hoffman, 1983; Wilson & Johnson, 2001) including being 60 years of age or older, good physical health, positive personality traits (e.g. extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness), desire to be trained, full commitment to regular participation, willingness to work as a peer mentor, and previous supervisory experience.…”

A Senior Peer Counseling Program: Evaluation of Training and Benefits to Counselors

“…The training model was developed based on the literature on peer counseling, and in particular the literature on senior peer counseling programs (Bratter & Freeman, 1990;Burke & Hayes, 1986;de Vries & Petty, 1992;France, 1986;Hoffman, 1983;Priddy & Knisely, 1982;Romaniuk et al, 1981;Stone & Waters, 1991;Waters, Fink, & White, 1976). The 72-hr program included meetings twice weekly for 3 hr.…”

An innovative program for community‐residing older adults with serious mental illness

“…The growing use of peer counseling is easily understood, because it is affordable and acceptable to older adults, and several studies have now been published that support the need for and value of these programs in a variety of settings (Hoffman, 1983;Losee, Aurebach, and Parham, 1988;Redburn and Juretich, 1989;Scharlach, 1988).…”