Skip to main content

Mutual-Aid Groups: An Underutilized Resource Among the Elderly

  • Chapter
Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Abstract

Despite the fifty-year tradition of self-help or mutual-aid groups, their recognition by professionals has been slow in developing. Self-help services today involve an estimated 12 to 14 million adults in the United States (Lieberman, 1986). They address nearly every known disease and problem, and include many areas that deal with issues common among the elderly: chronic illness, life crises associated with aging as well as transition events, and social dilemmas that increase with chronological age.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Antze, P. (1976). The role of ideologies in peer psychotherapy organizations. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science,12, 323–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, M. B., and Leech, B. (1965). Alcoholics Anonymous,pathway to recovery: A study of 1,058 members of the AA fellowship in New York City. New York: National Council on Alcoholism.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, R. G., Raskind, M. A., Scott, M., and Murphy, C. (1981). Problems of families caring for Alzheimer patients: Use of a support group. Journal of American Geriatrics Society,19, 80–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohince, E. A., and Orensteen, A. C. (1950). An evaluation of the services and programs of the Minneapolis chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. Unpublished master’s thesis University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borkman, T. (1982). Where are older persons in mutual self-help groups? In: A. Kolker and P. Ahmed (Eds.), Aging (pp. 257–284 ). New York: Elsevier Biomedical.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, C. L., Gardner, F. A., and Zax, M. (Eds.). (1967). Emergent approaches to mental health problems. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durlak, J. A. (1979). Comparative effectiveness of paraprofessional and professional helpers. Psychological Bulletin,86, 80–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, G., Hensman, C., and Hawker, A. (1967). Alcoholics Anonymous: The anatomy of a self-help group. Social Psychiatry,1, 195–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farash, J. L. (1979). Effect of counseling on resolution of loss and body image disturbance following a mastectomy. Dissertation Abstracts International,39, 4027B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gates, J. C. (1980). Comparison of behavior modification and self-help groups with conventional therapy of diabetes. Dissertation Abstracts International,40, 3084B.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, L. K., and Gwyther, L. P. (1985). Family caregivers of Alzheimer patients: Correlates of burden and the impact of self-help groups. Unpublished manuscript, Duke University, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, K. (1983). Social support and mothers’ adjustment to the birth of twins. Unpublished doctoral dissertation University of Chicago, Chicago IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glasser, G., and Wexler, D. (1985). Participants evaluation of educational/ support groups for families of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The Gerontologist,25, 232–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldfarb, A. I. (1964). Patient-doctor relationship in treatment of aged persons. Geriatrics,19, 18–23.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R. E., Edmunson, E., and Bedell, J. (1979). Peer mutual aid networks reduce rehospitalization of mental patients. Self-Help Reporter,3 (2), 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimsmo, A., Helgesen, G., and Borchgrevink, C. (1981). Short-term and longterm effects of lay groups on weight reduction. British Medical Journal,283, 1093–1095.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grosser, C., Henry, W., and Kelly, J. G. (Eds.). (1969). Nonprofessionals and the human services. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gussow, R., and Tracy, M. (1976). Self-help groups. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences,12, 265–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henry, S. (1978). The dangers of self-help groups. New Society,22, 654–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, S., and Robinson, D. (1978). Understanding Alcoholics Anonymous. Lancet, 1, 372–375.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Killilea, M. (1976). Mutual help organizations: interpretations in the literature. In: G. Caplan and M. Killilea (Eds.), Support systems and mutual help. New York: Grune and Stratton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kish, G. B., and Hermann, H. T. (1971). The Fort Meade alcoholism treatment program: A follow-up study. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol,32, 628–635.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lakin, M., Bremer, J., and Oppenheimer, B. (1981). Content analysis of helping group interactions: Towards a developmental perspective. Experimental Aging Research,3, 343–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lakin, M., Oppenheimer, B., and Bremer, J. (1982). A note on old and young helping groups. Psychotherapy: Theory,Research and Practice,19, 444–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakin, M., Bremer, J., and Oppenheimer, B. (1985). Group processes in helping groups towards a developmental perspective. Small Group Behavior, 4, 447–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, L. W., Stafford, B., Cooper, K., Cohler, B., and Dysken, M. (1981). A pilot study of an Alzheimer patients’ relatives discussion group. The Gerontologist,21, 353–357.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A. (1983). Comparative analyses of change mechanisms in groups. In: H. H. Blumberg, V. Kent, and M. Davies (Eds.), Small groups (pp. 239–252 ). London: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A. (1986). Self help groups: Comparisons to group therapy. American Psychiatric Association Annual Review, 5, 744–760.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A. (1987). Self help groups and the elderly: An overview. In: E. Lurie and J. Swann (Eds.), Serving the mentally ill elderly: Problems and prospects (pp. 163–176 ). New York: Lexington Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., and Bliwise, N. (1979). Evaluating the effects of change groups on the elderly: The impact of SAGE. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy,29, 283–304.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., and Bond, G. R. (1976). The problem of being a woman: A survey of 1,700 women in consciousness-raising groups. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences,12, 363–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., and Borman, L. (1979). Self-help groups for coping with crises: Origins,members,processes,and impact. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., Heller, K., and Mullan, J. (1989). Unpublished.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., Solow, N., Bond, G. R., and Reibstein, J. (1979). The psychotherapeutic impact of women’s consciousness-raising groups. Archives of General Psychiatry,36, 161–168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., and Videka-Sherman, L. (1986). The impact of self-help groups on the mental health of widows and widowers. Journal of Orthopsychiatry,56, 435–449.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. A., Yalom, I. D., and Miles, M. B. (1973). Encounter groups: First facts. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCance, C., and McCance, P. F. (1969). Alcoholism in northeast Scotland Its treatment and outcome. British Journal of Psychiatry,115, 189–198.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mellinger, G., and Balter, M. (1983). Collaborative Project (GMIRSB Report). Washington, DC: National Institute of Mental Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ory, M. G., Williams, T. F., Emir, M., Leibowitz, B., Robins, P., Salloway, J., Sluss-Radbaughm, T., Wolff, E., and Zarit, S. (1985). Families, supports and Alzheimer’s disease. Research on Aging, 7, 623–644.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pattison, E. M., Headley, E. B., Glesser, G. C., and Gottschalk, L. A. (1968). Abstinence and abnormal drinking: An assessment of changes in drinking patterns in alcoholics after treatment. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol,29, 610–633.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rioch, M., Elkes, D., and Flint, A. (1963). A pilot project in training mental health counselors (GPO Publication No. 1254 ). Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robson, R.A.H., Paulus, I., and Clarke, G. C. (1965). An evaluation of the effect of a clinic treatment programme on the rehabilitation of alcoholic patients. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol,26, 264–278.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rohan, W. P. (1970). A follow-up study of problem drinkers. Diseases of the Nervous System,31, 259–265.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, J. J. (1970). A holistic treatment programme for alcoholism rehabilitation. Medical Ecology and Clinical Research, 3, 6–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stunkard, A., Levine, H., and Fox, S. (1970). The management of obesity: Patient self-help and medical treatment. Archives of Internal Medicine,125, 1067–1072.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomsovic, M. (1970). A follow-up study of discharged alcoholics. Hospital and Community Psychiatry,21, 94–97.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veroff, J., Kulka, R. A., and Douvan, E. (1981). The inner American: A self portrait from 1957–1976. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Videka-Sherman, L., and Lieberman, M. (1985). The effects of self-help and psychotherapy intervention on child loss: The limits of recovery. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,55, 70–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, M. F. (1986). Homogeneous groups. In A. I. Frances and R. E. Hales (Eds.), Psychiatric Update Annual Review (vol. 5, pp. 714–728 ). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R. H., and Ozarin, L. D. (Eds.). (1968). Community mental health. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lieberman, M.A. (1990). Mutual-Aid Groups: An Underutilized Resource Among the Elderly. In: Lawton, M.P. (eds) Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-40455-3_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-40455-3_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-39398-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-40455-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics