This manual, which is intended for use in conducting individualized inservice training sessions for certified nurse aides employed in nursing homes and boarding homes throughout Maine, contains six learning modules designed to help health care workers better meet the needs of elderly nursing home residents who are challenged with mental illness. Presented first is an introduction to the manual that includes the following: discussion of the facilitator's role in inservice training, a list of suggested training strategies; and guidelines for using a four-step training process involving learning needs assessment, information gathering, program planning and implementation, and training evaluation. The learning modules, each designed to be presented in a 2-hour session, deal with the following topics: the normal aging process; loss, grief, death, and dying; depression; dysfunctional behavior; dementia; and communication. Each learning module contains some or all of the following: session overview; objectives; background information; lesson plans for guiding trainees through training exercises; exercises; answers to the exercises/activities; and student handouts. Concluding the manual is a glossary. (MN)