Which activity illustrates Hawkins' suggestion when working with older adults?

Which activity illustrates Hawkins' suggestion when working with older adults?

• A. Encouraging Participants To Debate Vigorously
• B. Encouraging Fantasies About Aging
• C. Insisting On Rapid Self-Disclosure
• D. Avoiding Any Personal Reflection

Answer: (B)

Engaging older adults in fantasies about aging taps into a healing use of imagination that helps people explore wishes, fears, and meaning without feeling exposed or overwhelmed. Hawkins suggested that guiding clients to fantasize about the future can lessen anxiety about aging, validate their dreams, and reveal what truly matters to them. In a session, this might look like inviting participants to imagine their life a decade or two from now—where they live, who surrounds them, what activities fill their days—and then inviting them to talk about the feelings and values that come up. This kind of imaginative work preserves a sense of agency, invites hopeful planning, and creates a safe space to address real concerns behind aging. The other options tend to push approaches that aren’t as well suited for older adults in a group setting. Debating vigorously can be arousing or draining and may not be appropriate for everyone, especially if energy or cognitive stamina is limited. Rapid self-disclosure can feel unsafe or premature for individuals who are processing complex losses or fears. Avoiding personal reflection misses the chance to examine what aging means to each person and how they want to respond, which is central to Hawkins’ suggested approach.

Engaging older adults in fantasies about aging taps into a healing use of imagination that helps people explore wishes, fears, and meaning without feeling exposed or overwhelmed. Hawkins suggested that guiding clients to fantasize about the future can lessen anxiety about aging, validate their dreams, and reveal what truly matters to them. In a session, this might look like inviting participants to imagine their life a decade or two from now—where they live, who surrounds them, what activities fill their days—and then inviting them to talk about the feelings and values that come up. This kind of imaginative work preserves a sense of agency, invites hopeful planning, and creates a safe space to address real concerns behind aging.

The other options tend to push approaches that aren’t as well suited for older adults in a group setting. Debating vigorously can be arousing or draining and may not be appropriate for everyone, especially if energy or cognitive stamina is limited. Rapid self-disclosure can feel unsafe or premature for individuals who are processing complex losses or fears. Avoiding personal reflection misses the chance to examine what aging means to each person and how they want to respond, which is central to Hawkins’ suggested approach.