Working with Older Adults: Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices

Clinical Tools for Assessing, Supporting, and Treating Aging Clients

Fulfills: This course fulfills requirements for aging. Check your board’s licensing requirements.

This course fulfills the pre-licensing Aging and Long-Term Care requirements for SWs, MFT, and LPCCs in California.

Content from this course is also contained in several other courses on aging by Dr. Brickey.

This course is also offered as part of a Pre-licensing Savings Package of pre-requisite courses.

As the aging population continues to grow, mental health professionals are increasingly called upon to address the unique psychological, emotional, and cognitive needs of older adults. This course provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for assessing, supporting, and treating aging clients in diverse clinical settings.

This beginner/intermediate-level course is comprised of four sections with content comprised of both interviews with experts in aging as well as original content. All content is available in both audio and text format.

The course begins with an analysis of common health problems. Some of the content focuses on how to diagnose and treat older adults’ unique needs with an emphasis on coping with changes and developing a sense of purpose even when faced with limited physical or cognitive functioning. This section ends with a focus on definitions and legal issues, abuse, and financial and social services resources. A primer on common dementias and associated symptoms is included.

The second section focuses on clinical interventions with consideration given to how older adults with limited cognitive or verbal skills can benefit from counseling. The course ends with an interview describing research into the nature of happiness and how it can be fostered in older adults.

Section three highlights research-based lifestyle and cognitive factors that contribute to healthier aging. The course ends with an interview with Greg Cini who has successfully demonstrated how to totally reconceptualize assisted living facilities, placing a much greater emphasis on the health and well-being of older adults.