153 Mental Health Concerns and The Older Adult
● Use the least amount of text necessary. ● Use audio instruction in addition or as a substitute (see NIA recommendations listed prior for best outcomes). ● Adjust needs accordingly and reduce screen glare if electronic materials are used. Determinant 2: Healthcare access and quality Older adults often delay addressing mental health needs until the problems become chronic or severe. While access to mental health services is problemat- ic for many people across the mental health spectrum, it is critically important for those that suffer with severe mental illness (SMI) (Sadock et al., 2015). To ad - dress the healthcare access and quality social determinant for the older adult, the healthcare worker can review the fre- quency, ease, or difficulty of accessing mental health services. Available options for care, transportation, technology, and stigma will be discussed related to the role they play in the older adult client ac- cessing or being prohibited from access- ing mental healthcare. If access to healthcare or decreased quality of current care is an issue for the older adult, the healthcare worker can propose federally qualified and/or local community-based options. The following recommendations are from the U.S. De- partment of Health and Human Services (HHS) and provide recommendations and tools to increase healthcare access and quality of care for the older adult. The older adult client, family, or caregiver can search for local options using the official benefits website of the U.S. government. One website to explore is Medicare. The older adult client can sign up for bene-
economic stability (ODPHP, 2022). Each will be expanded upon for potential bar- riers and benefits of care. Determinant 1: Education access and quality On average, people who have greater levels of education live longer and health- ier lives (ODPHP, 2022). Educational op- portunities are often focused on younger populations, and older adults might be beyond the point of increasing their edu- cational status level. However, the health- care worker can identify and help them overcome this deficit. The healthcare worker should assess health literacy in the older adult client and plan written mate- rials accordingly. Further assistance might be necessary for people with disabilities that severely impair cognition, hearing, or vision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 71% of adults over the age of 60 struggle to read printed materials (CDC, 2021a). This is of- ten due to naturally declining vision. With recommendations to help older adults who struggle with poor vision, the health- care worker can help mitigate hindrances related to vision. Ensuring health literacy in the older adult with visual challenges includes the fol- lowing practices (CDC, 2021a): ● Ensure the written material can be read by the client (have them read it to you). ● Use high contrast (black words on a white background are best). ● Use an average font size of 16 to 18 (increase if needed). ● Use extra white space between lines of information (make the space of the lines at least 25% of the point size). ● Do not use glossy paper (it creates glare).
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