Curriculum Guidelines and Strategies on Counseling Older Women for Incorporation Into Gerontology and Counseling Coursework

Because the population of older persons is predominantly female, educators in the fields of both gerontology and counseling need to incorporate into their curricula topics related to the unique issues faced by older women. The educational preparation of mental health professionals in gerontology should include an understanding of the physiological and psychological changes that older women may face and strategies that counselors can use to assist older women in dealing with these changes and adjustments. This paper will present curriculum guidelines for incorporating topics relevant to the counseling of older women into courses such as counseling older persons, counseling women, introduction to gerontology, and introduction to counseling.