Mental Health Concerns and The Older Adult
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defined as healthy choices, connections, and prevention and management of health conditions that contribute to qual- ity of life (HHS, 2022). There is more than one path to healthy aging and recovery. Deciding which practices and treatments (medications, therapies, community re- sources, etc.) are best suited for the older adult with mental illness will be a multifac- eted assessment process, possibly includ- ing other healthcare disciplines. SAMHSA (2022c) classifies four major dimensions for recovery implementation, and HHS recognizes nine topics for healthy aging. Table 7 combines SAMSHA recovery di - mensions and HHS healthy aging topics, and it highlights older adult consider-
ations for the healthcare worker to ad- dress. The healthcare worker can use recov- ery dimensions as factors for assessing an older adult. A review of an older adult’s health, home, purpose, and community can signify protective factors or barriers to recovery, each able to alter the length of recovery. Recovery dimension barriers can be targets for intervention. In addi- tion to recovery dimensions are recovery principles for the healthcare worker meet- ing mental health needs. The healthcare worker can view the 10 SAMSHA recovery principles and their applicability to the older adult in Table 8.
Table 7. SAMSHA Recovery Dimensions, HHS Healthy Aging and Older Adult Considerations
SAMSHA Recovery Dimension
SAMSHA Dimension Definition
HHS Healthy Aging Topics
Older Adult Considerations ● Living arrangement. ● ADLs. ● Transportation (driving safety). ● Access to care (Medicare). ● Access to resources like healthy food and medications. ● Nutrition assistance (Meals on Wheels). ● Food safety. ● Access to healthcare. ● Older adult specific treatment. ● Physical exercise and activity. ● Strengthening cognition and memory. ● Ethical and legal implications
● Staying Active. ● Nutrition for the Older adult. ● Locating Benefits & finding care. ● Managing medication & treatment. ● Brain health.
Health
Living a lifestyle of healthy choices that minimize symptoms and positively contribute to physical and emotional welfare.
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