Group Therapy in Long Term Care Sites

ABSTRACT Group therapy is an intervention that is particularly suited for residents in long term care settings, because it can reduce social isolation and efficiently address the common issue of adjustment to institutional living. This article first specifies the types of groups that should be offered in long term care settings as a function of therapeutic aims and resident composition. It then enumerates Yalom's common curative factors and how they are reflected in the group process with frail nursing home residents. The unique elements in doing group therapy within long term care sites are then discussed. Next, the meager research on group psychotherapy in long term care sites is summarized, and a plea is made for more empirical studies to be conducted in this exciting but neglected area. Finally, reimbursement issues for group therapy in nursing homes are briefly considered.

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