Office for Community Extension and Linkages

Psychology Program
PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

Introduction:

Empirical research shows that Psycho-Social Intervention can have a significant impact on the physical and emotional well-being of the elders. In this context,
the quality of life of the elders depends in large part on educational and support interventions.

It was therefore with an eye on the necessity of interventions tailored to the needs of the seniors with declining physical or cognitive functioning. This program
presents evaluative studies and that have demonstrated significant effects on the welfare of the elderlies. The committee involvedchose to develop the
intervention following a participatory method.More precisely, they undertook formalization, which consisted of operationalizing the program proposal through
intervention mapping.

In accordance with this approach, the committee ensured that the objectives related to each of the themes were formulated in terms of targets that
specified the knowledge and skills that needed to be acquired by the elders in order to meet their needs and to facilitate their adaptation to the community.
These performance targets constituted indicators of a successful role transition, the program’s intended effect.

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PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION
Objectives:

In order to explore needs in depth, we conducted semi-structured interviews. The program that emerged was a Psycho-Educational Intervention that
covers themes concerning the skills required to meet the expressed needs. The aim is to ensure a close match or fit between these needs and the intervention
strategies

Limitations of the Program:

40 widows and widower residing in a remote resettlement area.

Background of the Program:

The Psychology students, undertook to develop and evaluate a psycho-educational intervention program sensitive to the physical, emotional and mental
needs of the widows in a remote housing areas. Need Assessment was conducted because of the necessity of exploring the needs of the respondents arose
from the data collected that were essential to developing tailored intervention programs for the elderlies.

Recipients of the Program:

Widows and retired officials who are residing at a remote area in Mindanbaol.

Mechanics:

1. Under the participatory approach, and in order to ensure that the content met their needs and expectations, 20 were then invited to a workshop.

2. The workshops consisted of a discussion centered primarily on the relevance and clarity of each of the themes, as well as on their objectives, the type
of activities to be proposed, and the number and frequency of sessions. Questions asked included the following: If you look at your situation, does
this theme properly reflect your needs as a family caregiver who has just learned his/her relative’s diagnosis? Are there themes that should be added,
eliminated, or modified? How do you see this program being offered in the form of discussions with a health professional or through written
documents with exercises to be completed at home? (A help-seeking exercise was presented as an example.)

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 3. The intended objectives specific to each theme were then defined and a general outline of the content to be proposed to the elderlies were
developed. The preliminary program comprised seven individual weekly sessions. Examples of themes included “learning to live with the certainties
and uncertainties of the illness” and “using one’s strengths in caring for the relative.”

4. Following participation in the program, elderlies were offered a 30-minute booster session, a means of maintaining the benefits of psycho-educational
programs.

5. An intervention program designed to provide the elderlies with support to cope with daily stress. This program can be as an individual face-to-face
intervention and as a group attending their scheduled classes/meetings - as are the results of their empirical evaluation.

Effectiveness of the Psycho-Educational Intervention:

Several studies that were conducted by the World Health Organization proving the success and usefulness of Psycho-social support that are given to
the elderlies. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support facilitated school self-help and social support
conditions for appropriate physical and mental health care thus producing favorable results among their recipients.
(Iasc Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, 2017).
Need Assessment: Need Assessment was conducted at a remote areas Mindanao. Twenty nine (29) respondents were given the questionnaire, they were
interviewed together with some family members, observations were also conducted. Please see attached documents.

Materials and Resources:

1. Whiteboard with marker and eraser

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PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION