Behavioural Gerontology
April 23, 2022 14:25
The number of people over the age of 65 is increases each year
The number of people who present with dementia is expected to triple over the next 30
years
Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), along with caregiver burnout, are
the main causes for folks having to have to move into nursing home or LTC settings
The Primary concerns in the geriatric world:
1 Over-medication Medications have little effect on behaviour change
2 Challenging behaviour
They either sedate the individual or have no effect at all
Whatever effects have been shown have been associated with severe side effects
3 Care-giver burn out
Current approach to aging from a medical perspective = not very positive
DESPITE - Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities focus on medical intervention & treatment
rather than behavioural
Other Issues: Problems with maintenance or accuracy of treatment could arise | Problems with caregiver: client ratios
Why - is this focus not altered?
The challenges associated with aging are often seen to be part of a biological process (whic
is true, but that’s not all there is to it…)
Therefore, the focus of treatment is concentrated on the idea that we cannot stop what’s happening
This viewpoint does not ring true when it comes to behaviour change
We need to change the outlook from inevitable biological decline to a combination of biology and the environment the person is in
We can help families support their elderly members if we can help them manage their environments a little better
Behavioural Gerontology
Application of behavioural theory and principles to aging issues (Adkins & Mathews, 1997; LeBlanc
Raetz, & Feliciano, 2011)
Behaviour is behaviour and it is amendable to change despite an individual’s age
Skinner wrote a book called “Enjoy Old Age” written for the general public, not just behaviour analysts
Dependent behaviours are learned and can therefore be largely correlated with the
behaviours of the elderly individual’s family members/caregivers
In other words, caregivers or family members can often be enablers
Research in the Field of Behavioural Gerontology has:
three main areas:
1 Mental Health
2 Physical Health
3 Neurocognitive Disorder
Common solutions presented as possible treatment methods for elderly individuals experiencing
difficulties include the following areas:
1 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
New Section 2 Page 1
April 23, 2022 14:25
The number of people over the age of 65 is increases each year
The number of people who present with dementia is expected to triple over the next 30
years
Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), along with caregiver burnout, are
the main causes for folks having to have to move into nursing home or LTC settings
The Primary concerns in the geriatric world:
1 Over-medication Medications have little effect on behaviour change
2 Challenging behaviour
They either sedate the individual or have no effect at all
Whatever effects have been shown have been associated with severe side effects
3 Care-giver burn out
Current approach to aging from a medical perspective = not very positive
DESPITE - Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities focus on medical intervention & treatment
rather than behavioural
Other Issues: Problems with maintenance or accuracy of treatment could arise | Problems with caregiver: client ratios
Why - is this focus not altered?
The challenges associated with aging are often seen to be part of a biological process (whic
is true, but that’s not all there is to it…)
Therefore, the focus of treatment is concentrated on the idea that we cannot stop what’s happening
This viewpoint does not ring true when it comes to behaviour change
We need to change the outlook from inevitable biological decline to a combination of biology and the environment the person is in
We can help families support their elderly members if we can help them manage their environments a little better
Behavioural Gerontology
Application of behavioural theory and principles to aging issues (Adkins & Mathews, 1997; LeBlanc
Raetz, & Feliciano, 2011)
Behaviour is behaviour and it is amendable to change despite an individual’s age
Skinner wrote a book called “Enjoy Old Age” written for the general public, not just behaviour analysts
Dependent behaviours are learned and can therefore be largely correlated with the
behaviours of the elderly individual’s family members/caregivers
In other words, caregivers or family members can often be enablers
Research in the Field of Behavioural Gerontology has:
three main areas:
1 Mental Health
2 Physical Health
3 Neurocognitive Disorder
Common solutions presented as possible treatment methods for elderly individuals experiencing
difficulties include the following areas:
1 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
New Section 2 Page 1
