Aged care workers told ‘confide’ in someone
Director of what has been described as the world’s ‘longest’ running research on human development, Professor George E. Vaillant, from Harvard Medical School, believes aged care workers need to “confide” in someone as caring for the elderly can be “gruelling”.
Professor George E. Vaillant, from Harvard Medical School, encourages aged care workers to find a colleague who will listen to their complaints.
Professor Vaillant will present at a two day workshop on successful ageing and provides valuable guidance to those who work in aged care, based on his surprising research findings.
One of the key messages he has for aged care workers is being able to confide in someone.
“Caring for the aged can be very gruelling and care workers need support in groups. Find a colleague who will listen to your complaints and listen to theirs,” Professor Vaillant says.
The 75 year longitudinal study referred to as the Grant Study, followed 268 male undergraduate students from Harvard University. The fundamental aim of the research was to discover what really makes people happy in life.
Presented by Victoria's Swinburne University of Technology’s Psychology Clinic, Ageing Well provides a rare insight into the makings of successful healthy ageing.
Professor Vaillant's research shows that the relationships we cultivate in adulthood serves us well into the later parts of life. He says there is also a lot that older adults can do to age well and offered three key tips.
“One, in midlife befriend someone at least 85 years old who is ageing well; two, learn how to take playful enjoyable vacations long before you retire; three, happiness is love full stop,” he says.
Swinburne Psychology Clinic’s, Dr Sunil Bhar, says Professor Vaillant's research over five decades is “gold standard” and now summarised into real lessons for life on what it means to age well,
Find out more information about Professor Vaillant's presentation.
