Empowered Aging Live: Mental Health in the Elder Care Community

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), one in four older adults experiences a mental health disorder such as anxiety, dementia, or depression. Unfortunately, our society at large forgets that mental health is a real issue for older adults. It doesn’t go away as we age. There seem to be numerous resources and services for young adults and middle-aged individuals, but where are the resources and services for those who are 60, 70, or 80?

As elder care professionals, we see a significant gap in this part of the aging continuum, a gap that our teams work to answer when they are out in the field connecting with seniors, investigating complaints, advocating, and helping seniors speak up and speak out. And while we realize the central role we all play in promoting mental health, we must also protect our own mental health so we can continue to enhance our skills, transfer those skills, and give back in a way that drives a long-term culture shift. We hope you will join us for a meaningful discussion on mental health in the elder care community as Empowered Aging staff shares their insights personally and from the field.

Time-stamped Show Notes:
0:00 Introduction
0:37 To kick things off, Susannah shares important details about the organization known as Empowered Aging.
1:41 Meet Charmaine Brent, Ombudsman Program Manager for Alameda County. Here she discusses how mental health is a forgotten issue among older adults in long-term care.
3:24 Mental health impacts everyone. It’s important to remember that the workers in the elder care industry are also impacted, especially when working with victims of abuse and neglect.
4:32 Gina Rigley is Empowered Aging’s Community Outreach and Volunteer Manager. She discusses mental health, social isolation, volunteer work, and mental health outlets.
6:41 Tiffany Heard is the Administrative Manager at Empowered Aging. Listen in as she highlights the practice of self-care for all employees throughout the organization.
7:47 As the Ombudsman Program Manager in Solano County and a leader in Elder Justice, Daunje Sanders, works to ensure that residents and victims alike know their rights, know that they are heard, and aids them in finding the courage to speak up and speak out.
9:26 Everyone has their own methods of being okay when they are not. Next, Daunje shares how she maintains a healthy work-life balance.
10:02 Dodi Zotigh is the Director of the Healthcare Career Pathway (HCP) program. She has an entirely different perspective on the world of mental health, one that comes from the realm of providing workforce training and professional development for individuals who face barriers to joining the workforce and obtaining the program’s CNA certification upon graduation.
13:56 At Empowered Aging, we have programs on opposite sides of the spectrum, but comprehensively support older adults and adults with disabilities across a multitude of disciplines.
16:23 Daunje shares the joy she gets from empowering residents in long-term care to speak out for themselves.
17:05 Next, Charmaine tells the story of two residents who lost their voices and were forgotten members of their long-term care communities. These two members came back to life with a simple conversation and working with the facility.
21:02 If you’re interested in joining us on our mission, consider volunteering with our team. For more information, you can visit www.EmpoweredAging.org/get-involved or please get in contact with Community Outreach and Volunteer Manager Gina Rigley by calling 707.631.7982 or sending an email to [email protected].
22:40 Tiffany shares some final thoughts on the internal aspects of the organization and supporting the team in the field.
23:27 Before signing off, Dodi talks about the circle of giving that the HCP program provides. It gives students the tools to advocate for the residents, themselves, and the team at Empowered Aging.

When You Give to Empowered Aging, Your Contribution Enriches the Lives of Older Adults by Combating Ageism & Fostering Individual & Collective Success. To Donate, Visit: https://EmpoweredAging.org/Ways-to-Give

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