Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the need for counseling between the elders and professional staff. Methods: The research design was a comparative survey. The participants were 151 elders who were attending three education centers, an asylum, and a counseling office for elders and 50 professional staff such as nurses and social workers. A questionnaire on need for counseling was developed by the researchers based on a literature review. Data were collected between August 1 and September 30, 2009, and analyzed using x2 test and t-test. Results: Responses from elders and professional staff differed significantly for motivation for counseling, preferred form of counseling, preferred type of counselor, frequency of need for counseling, preferred lay counselor, recognition of need for counseling, and recognition of necessity for counseling. All of the elders and professional staff showed a higher preference for counseling about health, emotions, family and welfare services rather than employment, facilities, law, civil petition and sexual problems. Conclusion: The findings indicate a need to develop counseling programs that meet the needs of elders, and to encourage health care professionals, including nurses, to provide counseling on health promotion for this population.