Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
5/21/03
Contacts:
Colleen Jolly, Human Development and Family Studies, (515) 294-4824, cjolly@iastate.edu
Laura Sternweis, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515)
294-0775, lsternwe@iastate.edu
Workshop Promotes Good Mental Health for Caregivers
AMES, Iowa -- Promoting Positive Mental Health in Family Caregiving, a distance education program sponsored by Iowa State University Extension, will be delivered Wednesday, June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon via the Iowa Communications Network.
The workshop is intended for professionals working in services for the elderly, family caregivers, parish nurses, religious leaders and laypeople, extension staff and others who work with families.
"You'll learn to help families understand mental health needs of caregivers and the elderly family members in their care," said Colleen Jolly, ISU Extension family life state specialist. Specifically, the program will discuss dealing with depression, understanding mental health needs of both Alzheimer's disease patients and their caregivers and helping caregivers access appropriate mental health resources.
Although 20 percent of older Americans have a diagnosable mental illness, research shows that fewer than one in four receive any mental health attention, let alone appropriate care, Jolly said. But mental illnesses among the elderly are real, common and treatable.
Unhealthy depression is not the same as healthy grieving over losses, Jolly continued. Similarly, anxiety disorders are not normal worries, and people who abuse alcohol or medications to dull emotional pain aren't engaging in normal behavior. "This workshop will help people learn the difference," she said.
The workshop features a team of professionals from Oregon State University with extensive experience in community mental health outreach and education for elderly individuals and families: Vicki Schmall, professor emeritus at Oregon State and a trainer, author and family consultant; Sally Bowman, extension family development specialist; and Debbie Coehlo, nurse practitioner and faculty member.
The workshop is free of charge for participants and is open to the public. However, pre-registration is recommended. For information on program sites, contact your local Iowa State University Extension office or call (515) 294-4824. Or visit the Web site, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/aging/caregiving/icn.html.
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Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.