The Life Satisfaction Course: An Intervention for the Elderly

The Life Satisfaction Course is a psychoeducational intervention modeled after the Coping with Depression Course developed by Peter Lewinsohn and his colleagues at the University of Oregon (Lewinsohn, Antonuccio, Steinmetz, & Teri, 1984), with modifications designed to address the unique needs and problems of the elderly. It is designed to serve either a primary preventive function with elderly who are currently asymptomatic and functioning adequately, or more commonly, a secondary preventive function. For the latter purpose, the target population is adults aged 55 and older who are dissatisfied or dysphoric but do not meet criteria for a major depressive episode. The course is currently being evaluated as a pilot project. This chapter will describe the rationale, procedures, and preventive implications of the work in progress.