Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA Groups

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA GroupsRR 1

Report 2013-2015 of the Standing Committee

GeroPsychology

To the EFPA General Assembly in Milano on July 11-12, 2015

On behalf of the SC Geropsychology: Prof. Dr. Dieter Ferring (convenor) University of Luxembourg (L)

Contents Report 2013-2015 ..................................................................................................... 2

Executive summary ................................................................................................... 2

Introduction ............................................................................................................... 2

Activities .................................................................................................................... 2

SC Expert data file – Areas of interest ................................................................... 2

Initiative on Creating a "European Geropsychology Network" ................................ 3

Writing and dissemination of a statement “On the Need of Geropsychology in Hospitals and Nursing Homes” .............................................................................. 3

National Background Report - Exchange about the situation of geropsychology in the membership countries ...................................................................................... 4

Relation with other EFPA Groups .......................................................................... 4

Invited symposium on “Psychology and Ageing: Findings and Trends across Europe” at the current ECP in Milan ...................................................................... 4

Meetings ................................................................................................................... 4

Information & recommendations for GA & Member Associations .............................. 4

Members of the SC Geropsychology ......................................................................... 5

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA Groups

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA GroupsRR 2

Report 2013-2015

Executive summary The report gives an overview of the activities that the SC Geropsychology undertook between 2013 and 2015. In detail, the report addresses discussions and actions of the group about an expert data file, an initiative on creating a "European Geropsychology Network", writing and dissemination of a statement “On the Need of Geropsychology in Hospitals and Nursing Homes”, an exchange about the situation of geropsychology in the membership countries by national background reports, relation with other EFPA Groups, and the invited symposium on “Psychology and Ageing: Findings and Trends across Europe”. Some of these issues, especially those that need web resources provided by EFPA, are under discussion for three years (e.g., expert data file) without a feasible output. Solutions to be achieved here will depend on the EFPA efforts to implement further web resources, especially a new office database system.

Introduction In the following we will give an overview of activities and in doing so rely and quote (a) from the minutes of the last SC that took place on February 14th, 2014, Brussels, EFPA Office, (b) the minutes of the meeting on February 13th 2015, Brussels as well as email-exchanges with EFPA president Robert Roe.

Activities

SC Expert data file – Areas of interest

This point was discussed in several meetings of the SC and there has been an exchange with EFPA President Robert Roe about introducing a data base allowing colleagues to register with their specific profile. Robert Roe mentioned that it will be important to introduce a “quality control” avoiding anybody irrespective of their qualifications to register as an “expert”. The SC shares this caution and proposed to build up a service at the SC website similar to the offer of “Find a psychologist” by the British Psychological Association. Such a service could include the following domains: a. Area of interest and/or research field

b. Work experience

c. Training

d. Publications In establishing this, one could set the frame for interested colleagues by referring to the “APA guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults”. The implementation of such da data bank will need further discussion within EFPA.

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA Groups

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA GroupsRR 3

Initiative on Creating a "European Geropsychology Network"

The SC Geropsychology intends to start a mailing list server (e.g., geropsy-info@efpamail.eu) that is open to all professional psychologists working in the field of geropsychology, and who are members of National Association of the EFPA. Inclusion to the Mailing-List will be decided by the NACs of the respective countries, who may delegate the task to the respective delegate in the SC Geropsychology. There has been an exchange with Robert Roe about this, who indicated that “in 2014 EFPA will develop a new office database system and that will be the basis for a new and fully integrated website. The new system will offer new functionalities and make it easier to maintain and update the webpages for EFPA as well as for its committees. As is the case today, each Standing Committee will have the possibility to operate its own webpages and fill these with fast and slow revolving information, and to include a wide range of documents. The system will also allow access to a (part of the) database. Moreover, the system will allow individual users to create their own account, from which they have access to a common space. This can be used for information sharing and dialogue among committee members as well as among other users. In that sense it offer an appropriate environment for the ‘European Geropsychology Network’. Since it may take to late 2014 or early 2015 before the new functionalities will be operational, you may indeed start with a mailing list the EG Network. Please contact Sabine Steyaert at the Head Office, to do this for you.” (mail received on Tuesday, 25/02/2014 14:41). Following this mail and given that the new functionalities are not available yet, the SC will wait for further options that will show here.

Writing and dissemination of a statement “On the Need of Geropsychology in Hospitals and Nursing Homes”

A first outline of this statement was discussed in 2014 with respect to the following points:

1. A first paragraph will define who is a geropsychologist? (e.g., a person, who works as a psychologists in the field of gerontology, a member of a multiprofessional team, a specialized person of gerontology/psychology) and give an overview of reasons for need of geropsychologists working in institutions, and with families/relatives.

2. In the second part, the statement will list the benefits of geropsychological professions and work (criteria: life quality, health, autonomy, staying longer at home, less medication, economic efficiency, social policy effects)

3. In the third part, the statement describes and lists the procedures of geropsychological work in the fields of (a) diagnostics/assessment/measurement – (b) counselling – (c) therapy – supervision - training – (d) evaluation. Describe specific contributions of geropsychologist (in contrast to others working on these procedures);

4. A final part, will present and discuss profiles of professional requirements and procedures (e.g., constructive dialogue with members of other professions) – announce need for the guidelines…

5. The SC also discussed several more general issues that ought to be addressed and reflected in this statement: The statement should use figures/illustrations, and it should adopt a convincing narrative (who is the

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA Groups

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA GroupsRR 4

target of the statement?). The statement should also take up the thread of the SC's earlier initiative.

Discussion on this issue is still open and there are no feasible results yet. It will be continued.

National Background Report - Exchange about the situation of geropsychology in the membership countries

The SC members agreed to motivate members to write a National Background Report during 2015. Such a report should be short and precise and cover 1-2 pages. It should inform about:

1. National statistics about the situation of the older population including prominent demographic features (e.g. life expectancies, proportion of older and younger generations), as well as information about social security and health.

2. Training programmes touching geropsychology and gerontology 3. Job opportunities for psychologists 4. Needs and challenges

The SC agreed that such a paper should reflect the view of the national representatives and in such will not require intensive research and associated further efforts. SC agreed as well to contact other European countries not in the SC via the EFPA and ask here for a contact person who could provide the specific information. These papers will be published on the SC webpage and serve as a common knowledge base for the SC members and interested colleagues.

Relation with other EFPA Groups

There are several groups within EFPA that could offer an interesting exchange. Here, the SC of Community Psychology was mentioned as well as the Board of Assessment or of Prevention and Health. No direct actions were considered here.

Invited symposium on “Psychology and Ageing: Findings and Trends across Europe” at the current ECP in Milan

The symposium brings together colleagues from six European countries highlighting trends and research findings of Geropsychology. In this the SC follows the symposium presented in Stockholm, 2014.

Meetings

1) 14 February 2014

2) 15 February 2015

Information & recommendations for GA & Member Associations The General Assembly is asked to take notice of the following:

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA Groups

Template Annual Report 2013-2015_EFPA GroupsRR 5

a. The option of an additional funding for travel expenses by EFPA supporting

members with reduced travel budgets;

b. A statement on the development of web resources, especially the new office database system (if not already done in the meantime).

Members of the SC Geropsychology The group currently joins 12 active and 4 corresponding members listed below. Mihat Durak (Turkey) left the group in 2015, and Aycan Kapucu will take his place. Moreover, Constança Paúl (PT) joined the group as a further national representative.

Austria Gerald Gatterer

Croatia Jasminska Despot Lucanin

Czech Republic Hana Štěpánková

Denmark Iben Estrup Andersen

Finland Hannu Pajunen

France Caroline Baclet

France Marie –Christine Gely-Nargeot

Germany Frieder Lang

Luxembourg Dieter Ferring ©

Norway Elisabeth Holck Steen

Norway Siv Tove Engebraten

Portugal Constança Paúl

Romania Rozeta Draghici

Russia Elena L. Soldatova

Spain Rocio Fernández Ballesteros

Turkey Aycan Kapucu

© = convenor

Italic = Corresponding member