When working with older adults in group counseling, counselors must adapt interventions and structure to the developmental stage, life circumstances, and typical perspectives of this population. Older persons often benefit from:

Clear structure and purpose in group activities

Concrete, goal-directed tasks

A sense of predictability and safety in the group process

Option A, increasing the use of purpose-specific, structured group activities, aligns well with these needs and is consistent with best practices for group work with older adults.

B is inappropriate: pre-group screening is especially important with older persons to consider cognitive, emotional, physical, and interpersonal factors and to ensure appropriate group composition.

C overemphasizes developing new interpersonal skills; while growth is possible and important, many older adults bring extensive life experience, and group work often focuses more on support, coping with transitions, loss, health changes, and life review than on entirely new humanistic skill sets.

D is contrary to established practice: personal reminiscence and life review are often highly therapeutic and developmentally appropriate for older adults, and should usually be supported, not avoided.

Therefore, the most appropriate action for a counselor is to increase structured, purpose-specific activities, making A the correct answer.