Psychology of aging: what it is and what its functions are

Aging is as natural a process as any other in life; however, the needs and care required in old age are often overlooked or undervalued in a society in which, in many respects, the experiences of the elderly are invisible.

This stage of development presents a series of changes not only physical, but also cognitive and emotional, which must be known and taken into account. account to facilitate that those who are going through this stage can take advantage of all the potential that life offers them and are well integrated into the society. If we assume that there is no difference between the usual psychological aspects of older people and the experiences of young or middle-aged adults, we are ignoring many problems to which young people are especially vulnerable. greater.

It is in this area where the Psychology of aging intervenes., a booming discipline that is being applied to more and more contexts, and that currently has its center of activity in socio-cultural and health centers especially aimed at the people elderly.

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What is the Psychology of Aging?

The psychology of aging is the branch of psychology responsible for address and prevent all types of psychological alterations or mental disorders in the elderly, always applying therapies and dynamization strategies based on scientific evidence.

The intervention of the psychologists of the elderly includes both the diagnosis and the intervention of all kinds of problems, as well as the prevention of any future problems and the promotion of healthy lifestyles adapted to those who are going through the old age.

It is one of the psychological disciplines with the greatest potential for growth today, both due to the progressive diversification of applied psychology and the progressive aging of modern western societies.

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What are the main functions of the Psychology of Aging?

There are many functions that professionals in the Psychology of Aging are responsible for, and some of the most important are the following.

1. Intervention in mental health problems

One of the main functions performed by professionals in the Psychology of Aging is Diagnosis and intervention in all kinds of psychological disorders that older people may presentboth emotionally and cognitively and intellectually.

As in any other area of ​​the psychological discipline, the interventions of the Psychology of Aging take into account the particularities and the needs of the most advanced ages at all times and each of the therapeutic strategies applied are perfectly adapted to each person.

Some of the most common mental health disorders in the elderly are dementia, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and unwanted loneliness.

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2. family support

Support and advice to families of elderly people who may present any type of need or alteration It is essential if we want to improve the quality of life of the affected person and ensure that they acquire greater well-being in their lives. life.

As has been shown in both psychological and medical research, equip close relatives with useful tools and strategies to help the elderly in case they need it is essential to increase their quality of life and that is one of the functions of the psychologists of aging.

In addition to that, another of the functions that a specialist in the Psychology of Aging can perform is that of giving indications specific on routines that can exert a positive influence on the elderly person and also on habits psychologically healthy.

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3. Intervention in cognitive functions

The third age is a stage in which cognitive functions begin to be impaired by the natural passage of time, a fact that notably affects the person's emotional health and has a very negative effect on their quality of life.

The psychology of aging is also responsible for intervening in the deterioration of cognitive functions, either for its prevention or with the aim of slowing down said cognitive wear, either natural or pathological.

To achieve this, strategies are used such as teaching exercises linked to cognitive training, promote daily activities that may be helpful in preventing cognitive decline and work together with professionals from other disciplines to facilitate the monitoring of pharmacological treatments if necessary.

• Related article: "Cognition: definition, main processes and functioning"

4. Mental health promotion

The tasks of promoting mental health in old age are an essential task in the psychology professionals of the aging, since they provide great help both for the elderly who receive it and for their families.

There are many ways in which these professionals offer a mental health promotion service for the elderly, among the most common we can highlight giving talks in day centers and residences, courses and workshops destined to learn strategies of all kinds for day to day and informative tasks taught by psychology professionals who teach the greatest practical knowledge of all kinds that can be of use to them. great utility.

5. Emotional Support

In addition to providing an intervention and treatment service for classic psychological disorders that may appear in the elderly, the psychology of aging also aims to provide emotional support to anyone who I requested.

Although it is a little explored and relatively unknown subject, during old age it is common for emotional changes of psychosocial root to occur in older people that can significantly affect their mental health and well-being global, such as unwanted loneliness, the feeling of guilt for believing "a burden" for the family, etc. It is precisely these changes that an aging psychologist addresses.

Some examples of emotional alterations typical of old age can be anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, apathy or suicidal ideation.

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Do you want to train in Psychology of aging?

If you want to specialize professionally in this field, you may be interested in the Master in Psychology of Aging of European University.

In it you will find a very complete training program that will enable you to work with older people. It consists of 6 months of duration in 30 ECTS credits carried out online and that includes face-to-face practices or online in day centers for the elderly, socio-cultural centers and the State Reference Center for Alzheimer's (CREATES). In addition, upon completion you will obtain a Degree issued by the European University of Madrid.