Center for Mental Health & Aging

3 Myths About Older Adults and Suicide 1. It’s normal for older adults to think about dying by suicide. FALSE 2. Talking about suicide will plant the idea in the person’s head or make suicidal thoughts worse. FALSE 3. If an older person wants to die by suicide, there’s nothing you can do about it. FALSE If someone you know is in mental health crisis, encourage them to call 988 for guidance. PRO TIP. If you’re concerned about someone, you can also call 988 for guidance on how to help. As a geropsychologist, I’ve worked with many people navigating suicidal thoughts or healing from a suicide attempt. My professional experience, my personal experience, and the research shows that talking about it really does help. Share this post to help dispel these myths and get more people connected to care. #mentalhealth #olderadults #olderveterans #seniorcare #brainhealth

3 years ago I launched Center for Mental Health & Aging to ensure #therapists and professionals working with older adults have the tools they need to meet the mental health needs of older adults. Here’s why this is so important: When mental health concerns go untreated among older adults… … physical health problems worsen … medical hospital stays lengthen … more medication is needed to manage physical health conditions … there are more health care costs (meaning more financial strain) … there’s increased caregiver strain … risk for dementia disorders increase … risk for suicide increases. Now for the good news! Mental health care is effective for older adults (despite what stereotypes would have you believe). Every professional working with older adults (from aging services professionals to therapists to physicians) should have basic tools for meeting the mental health needs of older adults To date, 8165 professionals have signed up to receive weekly resources to meet the mental health needs of older adults with our newsletter and have taken our online #continuingeducation courses. Join us in the mission to improve mental health care for older adults by enrolling for our live webinar on OLDER ADULTS AND SUICIDE PREVENTION 9/27/24 12-1pm EST (recording available to those who register; link to register in comments) #mentalhealth #olderadults #brainhealth #aging #therapy #seniorcare

Attn Mental Health Providers, Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, LMFTs, and Care Managers. You’ll be seeing more older adults in your therapy practice than ever before. With rates of suicide highest among older men, it’s essential that you have the tools to identify and and treat suicide risk in your practice. Inside this heart-felt course, you’ll... ? Learn what increases the risk for suicide among older adults ? Gain easy to use tools for assessing suicide risk among older adults ? Discover how ageism influences suicide risk and what you can do about it ? Go from cautious to confident when discussing suicide with older adults ? Learn how to have a conversation that engages an older person in their care, rather than push them away. When: 9/27/24 12-1pm EST Can’t attend live? No problem! You’ll automatically get access to the recording. CE credits for Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, LMFTs, Care Managers “I learned so much! I can use this personally and professionally” About the Presenter: Dr. Regina Koepp is a Stanford-trained Clinical Geropsychologist who has worked with older adults for more than 20 years in some of the largest health care systems in the US, like Stanford, Emory, and the Veterans Health Administration. She’s been featured in NPR, New York Times, Chicago Tribune and more. In this course, Dr. Koepp shares her insights with YOU! Enroll today! https://lnkd.in/eV5jz_3Z #brainhealth #mentalhealth #olderadults #psychology #continuingeducation #socialwork #therapy #therapist #suicideprevention #socialworker #counselor #dementiacare

How do we preserve connection and care at end of life? Americans so often die in institutionalized settings, under the depersonalized care of strangers, monitored by technologies, and substantially reduced personal and family voice in the dying process. As professionals and systems of care, how do we demonstrate to the dying person that they will be honored, cared for, and valued until their last breath and beyond? I'd love to hear your thoughts. This quote is from this fabulous article by Courtney S. Campbell from the peer-reviewed article: https://lnkd.in/eCSf5jim I use this article to guide some of the training I provide to mental health and senior care providers on Death With Dignity. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eRMfNXkF #deathdoula #endoflife #deathwithdignity #seniorcare