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The Elderly are Coming!

The Elderly are Coming! Nordic Psychology, 2007, 59 (1) 1-6 FEATURE ARTICLE KAREN MUNK Hopefully this issue of Nordic Psychology will help clinical psychologists and other psychotherapists in Scandinavia meet the nearest future of demographic change entailing more grey haired – and in the long term even physically frail – clients in the clinic; a development already seen in the US according to our third article by Laidlaw. During the last 200 years the world’s population has been undergoing a change towards still more elderly, and in the years to come the balance between the generations will go towards an overweight of elderly due to a combination of reduction in birth rates, better health leading to longevity and to the fact that the big “after war” generations are now leaving the labour market (Petersen, 2006). As Laidlaw points out, this is important news for psychotherapists working with older people. One can expect not only an increase in complexity in presenta- tion and format, but also a changed attitude towards psychotherapy. For sure the consequence will also be that psychologists who do not see themselves as geropsychologists will be confronted with gerontology; perhaps pushing them to redefine their identity as psychologists. Laidlaw further argues http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Nordic Psychology American Psychological Association

The Elderly are Coming!

Nordic Psychology , Volume 59 (1): 6 – May 1, 2007

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References (4)

Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 The authors & Nordic Psychology
ISSN
1901-2276
eISSN
1904-0016
DOI
10.1027/1901-2276.59.1.1
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Nordic Psychology, 2007, 59 (1) 1-6 FEATURE ARTICLE KAREN MUNK Hopefully this issue of Nordic Psychology will help clinical psychologists and other psychotherapists in Scandinavia meet the nearest future of demographic change entailing more grey haired – and in the long term even physically frail – clients in the clinic; a development already seen in the US according to our third article by Laidlaw. During the last 200 years the world’s population has been undergoing a change towards still more elderly, and in the years to come the balance between the generations will go towards an overweight of elderly due to a combination of reduction in birth rates, better health leading to longevity and to the fact that the big “after war” generations are now leaving the labour market (Petersen, 2006). As Laidlaw points out, this is important news for psychotherapists working with older people. One can expect not only an increase in complexity in presenta- tion and format, but also a changed attitude towards psychotherapy. For sure the consequence will also be that psychologists who do not see themselves as geropsychologists will be confronted with gerontology; perhaps pushing them to redefine their identity as psychologists. Laidlaw further argues

Journal

Nordic PsychologyAmerican Psychological Association

Published: May 1, 2007

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