Course Description

This course reviews aging from a biopsychosocial perspective, with a focus on long-term care. It is written by a therapist with experience as a clinical coordinator and case manager for residential care and skilled nursing facilities. The mental health professional can play a vital role in the well being of elderly individuals and their families and caregivers. Therapists can help aging individuals restore and maintain meaningful activities and a valued identity. Therapists can help families and caretakers improve their support for the aging individual as well as their own well being.

This course reviews mental health challenges of aging. These include adjustments to change and loss, cognitive changes, psychiatric disorders, and recovery from abuse, exploitation and neglect. The anticipated population of elderly persons relative to younger wage earners will produce strains in the systems of care that will lead to increased mental health and family stress issues. This course will review the demographic changes and challenges to staff and family members posed by these changes. The older population is highly vulnerable to abuses such as fraud, violence, and neglect. Legal and ethical issues are covered, primarily regarding reporting of suspected abuse, exploitation, or neglect.

Learning Objectives:

After completing this course, the participant will be able to:

• This course will enable clinicians to:
• View aging from a biopsychosocial perspective.
• Treat families that have issues related to aging.
• Respond to mental health issues to which the elderly population is vulnerable.
• Understand long-term care issues pertaining to the aging population.
• Be aware of alternative arrangements for the elderly.
• Access resources of value in treatment and education of clients with aging issues.
• Respond effectively, safely, and ethically to concerns regarding elder abuse.