Psychotherapy and Demographic Change

Abstract

People are living longer and healthier than ever before, but older people are still seen as net burdens on society rather than net contributors to it (WHO, 2000). The ageing of the world’s population means the age distribution of society is undergoing change. This is important for psychotherapists as it means that the types of cases seen by therapists working with older people will also change, with the potential for an increase in complexity in presentation and format. The psychological expectations of the baby boomer generation mean that upcoming cohorts of older people will be more sophisticated about using psychotherapy. The mental health needs of older people have often been neglected but as people are living longer pressures on services will change to reflect the relative increase in the numbers of older people in society. The need for effective psychological treatments for older adults will become more rather than less important. With the result that more psychotherapists will come into contact with older people and understanding gerontology may become an essential part of the curriculum for psychotherapists in training. This paper looks at the consequences of demographic change for psychotherapists working with older people.