Gerontological Counseling Distinction
The U.S. population is aging rapidly, with 55.8 million people aged 65 or older, according to the latest Census figures. We have seen the largest-ever 10-year increase for the older population. Older adults experience role changes, grief, social isolation, physical and cognitive decline, and other difficulties that cause psychological distress. There is an urgent need for more mental health counselors who have the training and desire to counsel our aging citizens.
The UNI Counseling Program prepares counselors-in-training to serve older adults by developing foundational knowledge and skills through our gerontological counseling distinction. Students earn the distinction by developing foundational competencies through academic preparation, counseling practice, and additional engagement.
Gerontological Counseling Competencies
Through academic preparation, experience, and external engagement, students earning the distinction will demonstrate competency in:
1. Counselor Self-Awareness, Sociocultural Awareness, and Reflective Practice
Students will learn how their own worldviews—attitudes, values, beliefs, and biases associated with older adults, older adulthood, and aging—as well as the views reflected within their own and others’ cultures and societies impact people and counseling practices.
2. Adult Development and Aging
Students will learn about adult development and aging through a lifespan development framework. Students will be able to describe typical aging and age-related changes through multidimensional, biopsychosocial, and ecological systems perspectives.
3. Counseling Concerns in Older Adulthood
Students will distinguish between changes associated with normal/typical aging and changes that elicit interventions including neurocognitive changes, functional changes, psychopathology, intersecting concerns of physical and mental health, and end of life concerns. Students will learn counseling skills in assessment, diagnosis, and planning of interventions within their scope of practice.
4. Provision of Counseling Services for Older Adults
Students will plan and implement counseling interventions with older adults designed to address prevention and health/mental health promotion, mental health concerns (e.g., diagnostic, relational, vocational, transitional), and well-being. Students will use theory and research to create developmentally and culturally responsive interventions. Students will learn how to evaluate the appropriateness of interventions and how to adapt them to address concerns, how to use specialized interventions for older adults, and how to modify counseling practices to address common age-related changes or to accommodate settings in which counseling is provided.
5. Professional Collaboration, Consultation, and Referral
Students will learn about systems and services impacting and addressing the needs of older adults. Students will become familiar with specific aging services (e.g., housing, transportation, financial, legal/safety, health, caregiver), referral processes, consultation processes and areas of expertise, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Students will learn about ethical and legal implications associated with serving older adults as well as advocacy initiatives.
Components of Earning the Distinction
Academic Preparation
Minimum of 9 credit hours (three courses)
Required
- GERO 5161: Families, Alzheimer’s, and Related Dementias (or another approved Gerontology GERO course)
- COUN 6286: Counseling Older Adults
Elective
Select a minimum of one from Department of Family, Aging, and Counseling:
- FAM SERV 5150: Families and Aging
- GERO 2111: Families and End of Life Issues
- PH 2630: Aging and Health
- SW 5173: Social Services for Older Adults
- Other related School of Health and Human Sciences courses (approval from distinction coordinator required)
Counseling Practice
- A minimum of 25 hours of direct counseling in the form of individual, group, couples/family, or career counseling; outreach/psychoeducation; support group facilitation; crisis response; and social-emotional support.
- Practice must be supervised by a licensed professional or program faculty member and can take place during program practicum or internship classes or through volunteering with the UNI Dementia Simulation House.
Engagement
- A minimum of 10 hours of professional development training at the local, state, national, or international level focused on gerontology and/or serving older adults.
- A project focused on community engagement with older adults or advocating for their needs.
Culminating Portfolio
Students prepare portfolios for the distinction committee containing:
- Academic preparation artifact: One example of students’ work from each of the three courses.
- Core counseling artifact: Two examples from core or specialty counseling coursework relevant to counseling older adults.
- Log of counseling practice
- Professional development trainings
- Engagement project
- Culminating reflection about what students have learned and experienced while pursuing the distinction.
Career Opportunities
Students earning their Master of Arts in counseling and gerontological counseling distinction will be positioned to pursue career opportunities counseling older adults in the following settings:
- hospitals
- nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- community mental health centers
- senior centers
- rehabilitation centers
- Veteran’s Affairs (VA) centers and other governmental agencies
- hospice and palliative care providers
- private practice
