Cultural and socio-economic differences
The United States is a multicultural society, and the growing population of older people is highly diverse. Many factors such as economic inequalities, health inequalities, stereotypes, and biases affect the elderly in society. Gerontology counselors work with clients from different cultures and backgrounds. Skill in cultural competence is necessary to manage stereotypes and discrimination due to cultural and socio-economic differences. Think of an experience when you treated an older person differently because of their accent, culture, age, appearance, or economic background.
- From your position as a counselor, talk about cultural competence. How could poor skills in this area impact your relationship with an elderly client and the counseling process?
