Mental Health & Older People (1-2 days)

This course is designed for support workers and aims to provide learners with a background to mental health issues and conditions that have particular impact on Older People or have a tendency for later onset in life.

After considering the overall process of ageing and the effect on mental health the group will consider specific diagnosis. Learners will have the opportunity to consider the medical and social support that is available and what particular support they could offer in their own workplaces.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this course participants should understand:

• How ageing may affect the individual:
        -Socially
        -Physically
        -Sexually
        -Financially
        -Spiritually
        -Occupationally/recreationally
• The psychological impact of ageing-common issues e.g.
        -Loss & Bereavement
        -Loneliness
        -Helplessness etc
• How Older People are often stereotyped and disadvantaged
• The impact on the individual of Infantilisation
• What is Dementia and how it impacts on the person and those around them
• What are the different Dementias and how they vary
• The main mental health conditions that tend to arise in older age e.g. Depression, Anxiety
• The signs and symptoms of a range of mental health conditions
• What is the Medical Model
• What the Medical Model offers by way of treatment
• What is the Social Model
• The kinds of support would be offered within the Social Model
• What is Person Centred Support
• What approach can support workers make to provide a quality service

Training methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Handouts
• Chalk and Talk
• Group Work
• Visualisation
• Word storm method

CP124/5.9