Addressing Mental Health in Older Adults- Essential Considerations for Social Workers Suicide Prevention and Effective Assessment Questions

Addressing Mental Health in Older Adults- Essential Considerations for Social Workers Suicide Prevention and Effective Assessment Questions

From reviewing the readings, I have learned that mental health problems, though less prevalent compared to young adults, are also common among older adults (Gaunt, 2021; Life Senior Services, 2019; National Institute on Aging, n.d). Some of the older adults are likely to experience anxiety, depression, and even suicide or suicidal attempts. This is worrying because the rate of older adults is increasing significantly. Such mental health problems have a negative impact on the general well-being of older adults and their immediate families and society as a whole.

It is important for a social worker to be aware of the mental health needs of older adults in order to help them navigate through these challenges and lead a quality life (Snedeker, 2021). Social workers need to know that depression is not exactly a normal part of aging. This would help them identify specific factors that could cause depression and other mental health problems and help the client deal with these problems.

One of the things that should be considered regarding suicide assessment and prevention in older adults is the risks and protective factors that individual older adults have. Some of the common risk factors are substance use issues, social isolation, physical disability, pain or illness, and depression, among other mental health problems (Suicide Prevention Resource Center, n.d). It will be possible to prevent suicide among the older population by addressing these. Therefore, recommending protective factors like social connectedness, care for physical and mental health problems, and skills in adapting to and coping with changes will be important (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, 2008).

While working with an older adult to determine if there might be some mental health concerns, I will ask questions like, “Have you been diagnosed with any physical illness? How does that make you feel? Have you lost any loved ones recently? How did you deal with their loss? Do you take any drugs?” These are linked to common risk factors for mental health problems like depression.

References

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. (2008). The State of Mental Health and Aging in America Issue Brief 1: What Do the Data Tell Us? Atlanta, GA: National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.

Gaunt, A. (2021, July 12). Early Signs and Symptoms of Elderly Mental Health Issues. Retrieved from https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/mental-illness

Life Senior Services. (2019). 10 Facts About Mental Health and Aging. Retrieved from http://www.lifeseniorservices.org/seniorline/10_Facts_About_Mental_Health_and_Aging.asp

National Institute on Aging. (n.d). Depression and Older Adults. Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults

Snedeker, L. (2021). Understanding Depression and Aging — Guidance for Social Workers. Social Work Today, 18(1), p.10. Retrieved from https://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/JF18p10.shtml

Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (n.d). Older Adults. Retrieved from https://www.sprc.org/populations/older-adults#:~:text=Suicide%20is%20an%20important%20problem,any%20group%20in%20the%20country.&text=Suicide%20attempts%20by%20older%20adults,death%20than%20among%20younger%

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Please review the readings and consider the following in your response:

What are your thoughts after reviewing the readings?
Why is it important that a Social Worker be aware of the mental health needs of older adults?

Addressing Mental Health in Older Adults- Essential Considerations for Social Workers Suicide Prevention and Effective Assessment Questions

What do you need to consider regarding suicide prevention and assessment in older adults?
As a Social Worker, what questions would you want to ask an older adult client you are working with to determine if there are any mental health concerns?