Responding to Loneliness: Counselling the Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step description of the development and implementation of a group on Responding to Loneliness for the elderly. "Responding to Loneliness" focuses on five main areas: building positive self-esteem; learning social and personal skills; managing stress and anxiety; developing problem solving strategies; and building a social network. The underlying assumption of this group approach is that everyone is alone and is responsible for what is done about it.