Encountering older adults in psychotherapy: The lived experience of therapists working with older adults in Ireland

Abstract

ABSTRACT Longevity of age is a global phenomenon of the 21st century. Therapists working with older adults therefore need to be aware of issues of ageing, dying as well as societal and other attitudes towards older adults. Little is known about therapists’ experiences of providing psychotherapy to ageing clients. This article uncovers the findings of a Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological study which describes and interprets ten Irish therapists’ lived experiences of working with older adults. The findings indicate that psychotherapy with older adults is a different and challenging experience for therapists, compared to work with clients in younger age ranges. Participants in this study found ways of coping with dominant experiences of sadness, vulnerability, ageing, dying and death. In order to cope with and effectively work with older adults, a commitment to personal development regarding one’s own ageing and mortality is necessary, coupled with ongoing professional development to increase specialised knowledge of and theoretical perspectives on ageing.