Respond to two colleagues who chose a different case and/or theory than you did. State whether you agree with your colleague’s strategy for applying the theory to the case. Justify your response and suggest one additional way your colleague might support the client’s psychological well-being.
Use the Learning Resources to support your posts. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.
1-jen:
Identify whether you have chosen to analyze Sara’s or Francine’s case for the Discussion.
I have chosen to analyze Francine’s case.
Explain key life events that have influenced Francine’s psychological functioning. Be sure to substantiate what makes them key in your perspective.
Francine is a 70-year-old woman who was in a relationship with a woman named Joan, who recently passed away from cancer, for 30 years. Francine is Catholic and referred to Joan as a roommate or best friend due to never being able to disclose or feel comfortable explaining that Joan was her partner. Francine has been struggling due to her family and close associates not understanding the impact of Joan’s death on Francine. Francine does have a history of alcohol use disorder, and was in recovery for several decades but has been drinking lately. She is depressed and lacks pleasure and enjoyment in her life. She has been isolating herself since Joan’s death. Francine is seeking counseling to assist with her depression and drinking.
Explain how you as a social worker might apply a theory of successful aging to Francine’s case. Be sure to provide support for your strategy.
As Francine’s social worker, I would apply the theory of social reconstruction syndrome theory to help Francine recognize unrealistic standards and expectations that are expected of older people (Zastrow et al, 2019). I would encourage activity theory to assist with her depression as well as the isolation that she is experiencing. Francine wanted to get assistance for her drinking and attending the AA meetings can help her to feel less alone and isolated. Attending the AA meetings will also provide additional support that she is unable to get from friends and family. Francine could possibly see about volunteering another day or two at the library to also assist with isolation. She could even see about creating a small library for the senior center that she attends.
2-co:
Identify whether you have chosen to analyze Sara’s or Francine’s case for the discussion.
I have chosen to analyze Francine’s case for this week’s discussion post.
Explain key life events that have influenced Francine’s psychological functioning. Be sure to substantiate what makes them key in your perspective.
Two key life events are affecting Francine’s psychological functioning. The first key life event is experiencing the death of her long-time partner, Joan. From my perspective, this loss has sent Francine into a deep depression, and she is using alcohol to cope with her feelings. According to Zastrow et al. (2019), when someone has been married for many years and his or her spouse dies, a deep sense of loneliness usually occurs that seems unbearable. Even though Francine and Joan were not married, they had a thirty-year relationship. Francine has lost her best friend, lover, confidant, and companion. Facing the years ahead without her partner can seem full of emptiness. Depression is the most common emotional problem in older people, and a major barrier to good mental health in the later years is the ability to bounce back from the loss of a loved one.
The second key life event is her lesbian relationship with Joan and the fact that she never disclosed this relationship to family or friends. Considering Francine’s age and the era when she grew up, she may not have felt comfortable living so openly in her relationship with Joan. Due to family and friends not knowing the extent of their relationship, Francine could not openly discuss her grief and did not receive the support she needed. Talking about your grief eases loneliness and allows you to ventilate your feelings (Zastrow et al., 2019).
Explain how you, as a social worker, might apply a theory of successful aging to Francine’s case. Be sure to provide support for your strategy.
As a social worker, I would apply Activity Theory to Francine’s case. Francine is isolating herself, and her depression levels have reduced her interest in activities. Individual counseling and medications can be part of her treatment, but there should be several more components. Francine is also drinking alcohol to cope with her depression and grief. Linking her to AA support groups or referring her to a substance use provider will be an essential part of her journey toward successful aging.
The Activity Theory asserts that the more physically active people are, the more successfully they will age (Zastrow et al., 2019). Research has shown that staying mentally and physically active while aging can help older people maintain intellectual, psychological, and physiological functioning. Volunteering can help Francine feel useful and rediscover a meaningful purpose in life. Connecting with her LGBTQ+ community will offer her support by developing new social relationships and getting involved in activities. Mindfulness and meditation exercises can be helpful tools to help Francine with healthier coping skills while she is working towards sobriety. Francine is an Irish Catholic, and spirituality can be an important part of her healing. As a social worker in this case, I would speak with Francine about her feelings on returning to church involvement or becoming more active. Discovering what hobbies Francine enjoys and finding classes in the community that may offer skills education in her areas of interest can improve her well-being. Light exercise activity and walking can help Francine stay more physically active and can improve her mood. Francine is also an educator and can work part-time educating others based on her expertise. Interventions from the activity theory applied in Francine’s case would increase her psychological, intellectual, and physiological health so she can continue to age successfully.