SPRC Library Catalog -- Home SPRC > Populations and Settings

Home SPRC > Populations and Settings > Older Adults

Scope Note: People age 65 and older.

AgePage: Depression: URL: http://www.nia.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/69FCF3C9-C417-4EDB-A362-A962A30009FA/13660/14107APDepression09NOV18_rev2_FINALforPrinter.pdf
This brochure, derived from the bulletin AgePage, provides information on the causes and symptoms of depression, how to get help, treatment options, and prevention.
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Aging and Suicide: URL: http://www2.endingsuicide.com/?id=1:7351
This course covers risk and protective factors for suicide in older adults, assessment of risk and selection of interventions for people who need urgent help, and a summary of clinical management strategies to reduce suicide risk. Geared toward primary care health professionals
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The American Geriatrics Society and American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Recommendations for Policies in Support of Quality Mental Health Care in U.S. Nursing Homes: URL: http://www.americangeriatrics.org/education/policies2003.pdf
Policy recommendations from a 2003 expert panel are included on the following issues: access to screening, assessment, and treatment referral; adequately financing needed services; ensuring a skilled and responsive workforce; providing incentives for quality mental health care; and changing the culture of nursing home life through greater involvement of residents in decision making.
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Assessment of suicidal risk in adults and older adults: URL: http://www2.endingsuicide.com/TopicReq?id=1918
An online listing of interview, self-report, and screening tools for assessing suicide in adults in older adults, including behaviors, ideation, behaviors, risk, medical lethality, hopelessness, reasons for living, and provider attitudes and knowledge. Includes psychometric properties and references. Reproduced from a technical report submitted to the National Institute of Mental Health by GK Brown.
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Building community competence: The role of gatekeepers in preventing late life tragedies: URL: http://wdh.state.wy.us/Media.aspx?mediaId=1104
[10 pages]. This article describes one approach to a community-based suicide prevention program for home-dwelling and impaired at-risk elders. By training public and private citizens in surveillance, detection and referral skills, isolated and at-risk elders were identified for home visits by professional service providers. These trained �gatekeepers� become a life-saving link in the delivery of essential medical, psychiatric and social support services.
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Depression and suicide in older adults resource guide: URL: http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/depression.html
Lists recommended by the APA resources on the subject: journal articles; reports, monographs, and websites.
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Depression: Don't let the blues hang around: URL: http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/depression.asp
Age Page brochures series. Provides basic information on older adults depression: causes; symptoms; getting help; available treatments; and prevention.
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Depression: Overcoming stigma: URL: http://www.ncoa.org/calendar-of-events/webinars/depression-healthy-aging-and.html
This resource includes archived slides and a recording of a webinar discussing overcoming both public and self stigma so that depression can be effectively addressed.
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Elder suicide prevention: A review of best practices and recommendations for state initiatives in Maine: URL: http://www.sprc.org/library/elderSPmaine.pdf
This manual describes: evidence based practices of elder suicide prevention; screening tools for assessing elder suicide risk; best practices in elder suicide prevention across the U.S.; current training programs for direct care staff in other states; public awareness education campaigns; and funding sources that could support Maine in pursuing this issue further. Prepared for the Joint Advisory Committee on Select Services for Older Persons (JAC) and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
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Elderly Depression: URL: http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=a82dfca2-afe8-3478-1a4e1f9445d46407
This fact sheet provides information on recognizing depression, how to help a person who may be at risk of suicide, and sources to get help.
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Elderly suicide fact sheet: URL: http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/stats-and-tools/fact-sheets
In 2004, suicide rates ranged from 12.3 per 100,000 among persons aged 65 to 74, to 16.3 per 100,000 persons aged 75 to 84, to 16.4 per 100,000 persons aged 85 and older. This fact sheet presents statistics on elderly suicides regarding gender, race, methods, the role of depression and substance abuse, and common risk factors. Click on Suicide and the Elderly [PDF] link.
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Elderly suicide: Secondary prevention: URL: http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/products_services/evidence_based.htm
This evidence-based protocol provides information that will assist the nurse or other health care provider in recognizing at-risk suicidal behavior in the elderly and providing appropriate and effective crisis intervention. The goal is to decrease the occurrence of suicide among elderly individuals who have contact with nurses or other health care providers. 56 pages.
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ElderVention: Physical Location/Acquisition Information: Information on the program: http://www.aaaphx.org/ELDERVENTION
This program provides prevention education for older adults who are at risk for depression and suicide. Workshops are held at multiple venues, such as senior centers and long-term care facilities. Individual home-based education is provided for isolated, at-risk older adults. Mental health treatment services are also provided. The program promotes effective coping and social networks through life transitions. It also provides suicide prevention education to community professionals who work with older adults. This program is currently being scientifically evaluated.
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Evidence-based practices for preventing substance abuse and mental health problems in older adults. Excerpt: Prevention of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems: URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/OlderAdultsTAC/EBPCo-OccurringProblemssectionFINAL.pdf
This report discusses: demographic imperative for addressing late-life substance use and mental health problems; current terminology of the subject; published evidence base for the prevention and early intervention; and implementation issues that align with state needs and priorities. Five specific areas are addressed: alcohol misuse; medication misuse; depression and anxiety; suicide; and co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems.
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Geriatric mental health care training series: URL: http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/.../Whose%20Problem-SuppMat%5BMS-1-1-06%5D.DOC
The primary purpose of this training series is to train nursing home staff in caring for and managing residents in six areas, including recognizing and treating depression and mental health issues in long-term care. Supplemental materials provide specific guidance on delivering the training, as well as materials and handouts for participants. An evaluation of this training series is available.
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Get connected: Linking older adults with medication, alcohol, and mental health resources: URL: http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/prevline/pdfs/getconnectedtoolkit.pdf
This toolkit is designed to assist program managers with planning prevention programs to address substance use and mental health problems in older adults. It covers assessing the readiness of an organization to implement a program, creating an arsenal of resources as sources of information, planning staff education, and writing a program plan. The toolkit is accompanied by a booklet that profiles program success stories.
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Healthy IDEAS (identifying depression, empowering activities for seniors): Physical Location/Acquisition Information: Information: http://www.careforelders.org/healthyideas
This is a community-based program to detect and reduce the severity of depression in older adults with chronic health conditions and functional limitations. It integrates four evidence-based components into the existing case management services provided to older adults in their homes: screening, education of clients and family, referral and linkage to mental health services, and behavioral activation.
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IMPACT Improving Mood-Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment for late life depression.: Physical Location/Acquisition Information: information, registration and materials: http://impact-uw.org/
The IMPACT model includes several key components (many offered at no cost through a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation: collaborative care implemented by the primary care provider, a depression care manager, and a consulting psychiatrist; patient education; antidepressant medication; and counseling such as Problem Solving Therapy.
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It takes a community: Report on the Summit on Opportunities for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention in Senior Living Communities: URL: http://www.sprc.org/library/It_Takes_A_Community.pdf
Report of the "It Takes a Community" summit, convened in October 2008 to advance discussion and action to improve the mental health, and reduce the risk of suicide, among residents of senior living communities. The 111-page document lays out a framework of whole population, at-risk population and crisis response approaches. Discussion groups helped to identify opportunities for activities to promote these approaches; tables describe the ideas, challenges, facilitators and notes for each activity. The summit included findings from focus groups of older adult residents of senior living communities.
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Late life suicide prevention toolkit: Life saving tools for health care providers: URL: http://www.ccsmh.ca/en/projects/suicide.cfm
These training materials include an interactive, case-based DVD; the National Guidelines for Seniors' Mental Health: The Assessment of Suicide Risk and Prevention of Suicide; a clinician pocket card; a facilitator's guide; and a PowerPoint presentation.
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National Guidelines for Seniors' Mental Health: The assessment and treatment of mental health issues in long term care homes (focus on mood and behaviour symptoms): URL: http://www.ccsmh.ca/en/natlGuidelines/ltc.cfm
These national guidelines for Canada provide background information and recommendations related to the assessment and treatment of mental health issues in long-term care for older adults. There is also a brief section on organizational and system issues.
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National guidelines for seniors' mental health: The assessment of suicide risk and prevention of suicide (Canada): URL: http://www.ccsmh.ca/en/natlGuidelines/suicide.cfm
National guidelines for seniors' mental health series. Canada. The first interdisciplinary, national best practices guidelines to specifically address seniorsï¿½ suicide. These guidelines were written by and for interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals from across Canada.
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Older adults: Depression and suicide facts: URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/older-adults-depression-and-suicide-facts.shtml
This web page presents facts, and summarizes research and treatment about older Americans and depression and suicide.
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Oregon Older Adult Suicide Prevention Advisory Work Group Plan: URL: http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ipe/esp/docs/plan.pdf
In 2003, Oregon had the fourth highest suicide rate among older adults in the US. This plan identifies three primary strategies to prevent suicide in older adults: clinically based suicide prevention; community-based suicide prevention; and public health surveillance, program evaluation, and research.
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PEARLS: The program to encourage active and rewarding lives for seniors: URL: http://depts.washington.edu/pearlspr/docs/pearls_toolkit_final.pdf
This community-based treatment program is designed for use during home visits and includes the following: (1) problem-solving therapy, (2) tools and strategies to increase social and physical activities, and (3) strategies to focus on pleasant events to reduce depression in older adults. The target audience is older adults with minor depression or dysthymia.
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Preventing Suicide and Depression: A Training Program for Long-Term Care Staff: Physical Location/Acquisition Information: available for purchase at: http://www.terranova.org/Title.aspx?ProductCode=IP/SDVHS
This one-hour training addresses the issue of suicide among older adults, suicidal behavior, warning signs, risk factors, prevention strategies, and treatment programs. It is presented in a style appropriate for all levels of staff. There is a cost associated with this training. See the website for details.
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Promoting mental health and preventing suicide: A toolkit for senior living communities: URL: http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/SMA10-4515/toolkitoverview_final.pdf
This toolkit contains resources to help staff in senior living communities promote mental health and prevent suicide among their residents. Senior living communities include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, independent living facilities, and continuing care retirement communities. The Toolkit also provides resources and information to help residents become active participants in mental health promotion and suicide prevention efforts. To order a hard copy visit http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/SMA10-4515/
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PROSPECT (SPRC EBPP Fact Sheet): URL: http://www.sprc.org/featured_resources/bpr/ebpp_PDF/prospect.pdf
A fact sheet that describes The Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly: Collaborative Trial (PROSPECT) intervention which combines treatment guidelines for community-dwelling elderly populations with care management for patients diagnosed as depressed. The fact sheet includes a description of the program, evaluation designs and outcomes, the intended audience, and targeted protective and risk factors.
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Senior Suicide: Understanding the Risk, Preventing the Tragedy: URL: www.spanusa.org/?fuseaction=home.download&folder_file_id=59FE2C07-CF1C-2465-17C131427ECF3013
This overview presentation reviews data by age, gender, state, and methods. It lists major risk factors and settings to access the at-risk population (including long-term care). It covers population-oriented and high-risk approaches for prevention.
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Special report: Suicidal behavior in the elderly: URL: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/47751
[Journal article]. Published in: Psychiatric Times, Dec 2003;XX(13). A review of the literature on the epidemiology of suicide in the elderly. Sections on risk factors and depression are included.
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Suicide Assessment and Prevention for Older Adults: URL: http://www.ccsmh.ca/pdf/CCSMH_suicideBrochure.pdf
This brochure describes how clinicians can recognize suicide risk, engage at-risk elders in the assessment process, perform an assessment, and address immediate and ongoing risk management. It also lists risk and resiliency factors, warning signs, and organizations that can provide additional information.
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Suicide awareness for older Kansans: URL: http://www.kdheks.gov/idp/download/Suicide_and_Older_Adult_Brochure.pdf
This brochure provides data on suicide in older adults, a checklist for self-assessment, myths and facts, suggestions to maintain good mental health, and a list of crisis hotlines and other organizations for more information.
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Suicide prevention among older adults (SPRC Discussion Series): URL: http://www.sprc.org/traininginstitute/disc_series/disc_4.asp
A presentation on the prevalence of suicide among older adults and ways to prevent suicide in that population. The Research to Practice Webinar webpage contains an author biography, PowerPoint slides, and an audio file of the discussion.
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Suicide prevention for older adults: Professional Reference Series, Vol. 1: URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/OlderAdultsTAC/docs/Suicide_Booklet.pdf
Summarizes the most recent studies on preventing suicide in older (59+) adults. Describes the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention goals and objectives for meeting the needs of older adults.
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Suicide Prevention for older people: Early intervention, assessment and referral options for staff working with older people who may be at risk of suicide: URL: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2003/pdf/suicide_prevent.pdf
This is a guide for mental health educators on how to conduct a one-day workshop on suicide prevention and older people for both health and non-health workers with clinical and/or assessment and referral responsibilities. The workshop focuses on understanding suicide risk in older people, strategies for early intervention and prevention, as well as methods of responding to varying levels of risk.
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