An older adult newly acquiring a disability grieves the loss of a long-held skilled-trades worker identity and resists discussing “new” jobs. What developmental/aging-informed counseling approach fits best?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Losing a long-time trades identity hits like losing a name tag you wore for decades. Grief is part of adult development after disability onset—not a speed bump to ignore. Sit with the loss, then rebuild career meaning without steamrolling the mourning.
Full Explanation
Adult development and aging perspectives recognize that disability onset can disrupt established worker identity and require grief-aware adjustment counseling. Effective practice validates loss, supports meaning reconstruction, and pairs emotional processing with stepwise vocational exploration. Skipping grief work or declaring older adults unsuitable for vocational counseling misapplies lifespan development knowledge in rehabilitation settings.