If you have a loved one that's older, they may face both cognitive and physical problems. They thus need someone they can talk to and receive assistance from – which is the purpose of geriatric psychologist counseling. Having your loved one see them routinely can help in a couple of ways.

Align Them With the Right Community Resources

The older your loved one gets, the more community resources they may need access to. Maybe it's professional transportation services to doctor's appointments or home health aid to remember to take prescription medications. You can make sure the right community resources are outlined for your loved one's individual needs when they see a geriatric psychologist.

They'll conduct thorough assessments during their counseling sessions, seeing what your loved one's needs are and how they can be met in an effective manner. They can then suggest community resources to ensure your loved one still is able to live a happy and healthy life.

Help Establish and Monitor Goals

Even though your loved one may already be retired and too old to work, they still should get in the habit of setting goals. It gives them something to work towards each day and look forward to. In that case, you should have them work with a geriatric psychologist that offers counseling sessions.

They can help your loved one establish goals that are appropriate for their age and overall lifestyle. It might be exercising a little bit more each week or completing puzzles for cognitive stimulation. The geriatric psychologist will continue monitoring their goal progression too, making sure they're coming along and staying productive.

Accept Change

There are going to be new aspects of life that your loved one has to get used to. For instance, maybe they're transitioning to a nursing home or having to take more prescriptions than they're used to. You can help them better respond to this change by having them go in for counseling that's orchestrated by a geriatric psychologist.

They have a lot of experience working with the elderly so even in the first couple of sessions, they'll be able to identify changes that are happening in your loved one's life and help them come to a place of acceptance. They can then move on in a healthy manner.

If you have an older loved one that's declining cognitively or physically, they probably need more assistance in their life. One of the best forms is help from a geriatric psychologist, who can counsel your loved one in a lot of positive ways. 

For more information, contact a geriatric mental health psychologist counseling center in your area.