A Men's Group: Psychotherapy of Elderly Men

Abstract

The group psychotherapy of a population of cognitively intact men, aged 70–95 years, resident in a home for the aged is described. Although this age group is often thought to be nonresponsive to psychotherapeutic intervention, it appears that group psychotherapy is a valuable modality in addressing the common clinical picture of social isolation, depression, and demoralization. The paper describes certain technical modifications in the conduct of the group by the leader—high activity and support, therapeutic transparency, translation, and integration—that facilitate this process. Psychodynamic aspects of aging and of living in an institution are also elaborated, with particular reference to the role of the life review, current theories of narcissism, and the consequences of the men's efforts to maintain their self-esteem and sense of self in the face of recurrent narcissistic injuries and losses.