A study released by the Institute of Medicine warns that mental health services for the elderly may not be able to handle the aging Baby Boomer population. What kind of services are available now in your community?
From CNN: " 'There is a conspicuous lack of national attention to ensuring that there is a large enough health care work force trained to care for older adults with mental health and substance use conditions,' said Dan G. Blazer, one of the report authors and the J.P. Gibbons Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina."
Caring for older patients with mental health or substance abuse problems is different from caring for younger patients with the same issues.
Among the reasons, according to USAToday: "People over 65 almost always have physical health problems at the same time that can mask or distract from the mental health needs. The physical illnesses, and medications used for them, also can complicate treatment. For example, up to a third of people who require long-term steroid treatment develop mood problems that may require someone knowledgeable about both the medical and mental health issues to determine whether it is best to cut back the steroids or add an antidepressant, Rabins said."
What is available now in your community? Are seniors being served at all? How can they access mental health or substance abuse sevices? Do they?
Talk to local hospitals - are they seeing an increase of older residents being admitted who have mental health or substance abuse issues? If so, how are they cared for?
Are there geriatric psychiatrist or geriatricians in your community? If not, why not?
Talk to local senior centers - what are they seeing in terms of mental health and substance abuse issues among the population they serve?
A study released by the Institute of Medicine warns that mental health services for the elderly may not be able to handle the aging Baby Boomer population. What kind of services are available now in your community?
From CNN: " 'There is a conspicuous lack of national attention to ensuring that there is a large enough health care work force trained to care for older adults with mental health and substance use conditions,' said Dan G. Blazer, one of the report authors and the J.P. Gibbons Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina."
Caring for older patients with mental health or substance abuse problems is different from caring for younger patients with the same issues.
Among the reasons, according to USAToday: "People over 65 almost always have physical health problems at the same time that can mask or distract from the mental health needs. The physical illnesses, and medications used for them, also can complicate treatment. For example, up to a third of people who require long-term steroid treatment develop mood problems that may require someone knowledgeable about both the medical and mental health issues to determine whether it is best to cut back the steroids or add an antidepressant, Rabins said."
What is available now in your community? Are seniors being served at all? How can they access mental health or substance abuse sevices? Do they?
Talk to local hospitals - are they seeing an increase of older residents being admitted who have mental health or substance abuse issues? If so, how are they cared for?
Are there geriatric psychiatrist or geriatricians in your community? If not, why not?
Talk to local senior centers - what are they seeing in terms of mental health and substance abuse issues among the population they serve?
