Mental health needs of older persons are projected to grow significantly over the course of the next years. Consequently, the need for training counselors to work with the aging population is presented. Addressed are 4 curriculum models, as well as areas of training related to geriatric counseling, that can be incorporated into counselor training…

As the population continues to age there remains an unmet need in preventing, identifying, treating, and managing mental/behavioral health problems among older adults. The purpose of this paper is to describe educational and training programs offered through three Geriatric Education Centers: (1) the Meharry Consortium Geriatric Education Center,…

Describes the "Peer Support System," which involved older people in the provision of improved mental health services, including education and service identification. The program consisted of recruiting and training 48 peer counselors, and conducting monthly health education workshops. Funded by the Administration on Aging, the project…

Describes the development of a mobile geriatric outreach team. The importance of thorough, interdisciplinary assessment and the offering of active, brief psychotherapy are stressed. Community education programs and consultations to the aging network reach the senior community and other referral sources. Preliminary program evaluation data are…

Compares adult and elderly clients of a Crisis Intervention Service in an urban metropolitan area, which included a telephone counseling/referral service and a mobile intervention team for home assessments. Findings indicated the importance of using a biopsychosocial model, particularly in the assessment of elderly persons. (JAC)

This Federal Council on Aging report contains recommendations for a national policy regarding services for the frail elderly and describes the principles on which the recommendations are based. Recommended core services are discussed and characteristics and statistics relating to the frail elderly are identified. The report describes existing…

Since June 1973, Iowa Lakes Community College (Iowa) has been conducting an in-service training program for employees of local nursing homes. The program was designed to upgrade the participants' knowledge of the mental health aspects of care for the aged and to improve their abilities to provide physical health care. The specific objectives of…

This final report contains a three-page narrative and extensive appendixes, including correspondence, surveys, field test evaluation and guide, and the Competency-Based Curriculum Guide for Practical Nursing Education in Virginia developed by the project. The over 200-page curriculum guide presents a suggested master curriculum for a twelve or…