Support and Self-Help Groups Support groups, which are an adjunct to formal treatment, are designed to provide mutual support, information, and a broader social network. They can be professionally led by counselors or psychologists, but when they are run by consumers 8 or family members, they are known as self-help groups. For example, self-help support groups sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association use professionals to provide consultation to groups orchestrated by lay leaders. Participation in support groups, including self-help groups, reduces feelings of isolation, increases knowledge, and promotes coping efforts. Despite the scant body of research, there is reason to believe that support and self-help group participation is as beneficial, if not more beneficial, for older people with mental disorders.
Older people tend to live alone and to be more socially isolated than are other people.
They also are less comfortable with formal mental health services. Therefore, social networks established through support and self-help groups are thought to be especially vital in preventing isolation and promoting health. Support programs also can help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, to foster early detection of illnesses, and to improve compliance with formal interventions. Outcomes have been studied for two programs of self-help for bereavement. There is a need for improved consumer-oriented public information to educate older persons about health promotion and the nature of mental health problems in aging.