Mental Health and Aging
Adelphi Certificate in Mental Health and Aging (30 CEs): The World Health Organization has identified the need for significant changes in practice and service delivery to address the rapidly growing burdens associated with mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Older adults confronting these disorders face significant barriers to quality of life.
These complex disorders in late-life challenge new graduates and seasoned professionals alike. Population aging demands greater professional workforce capacity, and clinical providers are vital to assuring appropriate care and treatment for older adults and their families. This certificate program explores the practice implications of working with older adults living with mental, neurological, and substance abuse disorders.
Participants may choose to attend either a stand-alone intensive training program, earning continuing education credits for each workshop respectively, or attend both programs to receive the Adelphi Certificate in Mental Health and Aging (30 CEs).
Geriatric Mental Illness and Populations at Risk
(12 CEs) Spring 2025
In this two-day program, offering 12 hours of continuing education, learners will gain knowledge of geriatric mental health challenges, including social isolation, depression, suicide, anxiety, hoarding and substance abuse. Relevant interventions and practices will be recommended to build capacity for meeting the mental health needs of older adults. Learners will be engaged to understand significant historical and contemporary issues and problems facing older adults, with attention to the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, class, sexual orientation, religion, and physical and mental disability. Additionally, learners will receive comprehensive information about the risks, warning signs, impacts, and interventions for elder neglect, abuse, and exploitation.
Dealing with Dementia: Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders
(18 CEs) September 12th – October 17th, 2024
In this three-day program, offering 18 hours of continuing education, learners will understand the complex interactions of neurological disease pathology, individual client strengths, environmental conditions, informal supports, formal resources, and societal influences in order to appropriately respond to the needs of older adults living with neurocognitive disorder as well as their informal caregivers. Workshop content focuses on the neuropathological attributes of the full array of dementia disorders, diagnostic evaluation components, the impacts of progressive symptoms on patients and families, best practices in dementia care and communication techniques, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, and environmental enhancements. The goals of preserving dignity and supporting quality of life will be promoted as priorities in discussions of strengths-based and person-centered care.
Lead Faculty
Daniel B. Kaplan, Ph.D., LICSW, LMSW, CSW-G, QDCS
Daniel B. Kaplan is a gerontological clinical social worker with expertise in mental and neurological disorders. He is an Assistant Professor at Adelphi University School of Social Work. His research includes intervention studies and workforce development initiatives to optimize services, clinical interventions and supportive environments for older adults with mental and neurological disorders living in the community. Dr. Kaplan is Co-Investigator for the John A. Hartford Foundation-funded NASW Supervisory Leaders in Aging initiative. He is the former National Director of Social Services for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Dr. Kaplan holds clinical social work licensure in New York and Massachusetts, as well as an NASW certification in advanced gerontological clinical social work. He earned his doctorate at Columbia University and then held a postdoctoral research fellowship in the NIMH Geriatric Mental Health Services Research Program at the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Dates and Objectives
TBD
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for all dates listed in this workshop.
Geriatric Mental Illness
Students will understand the clinical practice implications of:
- social isolation in the elderly
- geriatric depression
- elder suicide
- geriatric anxiety
- hoarding behavior among older adults
- substance abuse among older adults
Populations at Risk
Students will understand the clinical practice implications of:
- gender and sexuality on health and mental health in older adults
- race and ethnicity on health and mental health in older adults
- intellectual ability, physical ability, and religiosity and spirituality on health and mental health in older adults
- neglect and emotional abuse of older adults
- physical and sexual abuse of older adults
- financial exploitation of older adults
September 12, 19, 26 October 3, 10, 17 2024
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for all dates listed in this workshop.
September 12 and 19: Neuropathology and Symptomology
Students will understand the clinical practice implications of:
- assessment procedures and diagnostic criteria for neurocognitive disorder
- bio-psycho-social-environmental assessments of patient and family needs throughout the progression of neurocognitive disorder
- differences in etiological and pathological traits of distinct diseases which cause neurocognitive disorder
- progressive intellectual symptoms of distinct diseases which cause neurocognitive disorder
- progressive psychiatric and behavioral symptoms of distinct diseases which cause neurocognitive disorder
- progressive social and psychological impacts of distinct diseases which cause neurocognitive disorder
September 26 and October 3: Care and Communication
Students will understand the clinical practice implications of:
- strategies for supporting functional capacity in instrumental and basic activities of daily living
- person-centered strengths-based care for clients living with neurocognitive disorder
- cultural humility in care planning and service delivery as well as in the critical assessment of care quality across settings
- communication techniques which are effective with clients living with neurocognitive disorder
- using empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to promote the personhood of diverse clients confronting neurocognitive disorder
- using inter-professional collaboration to identify and enact strategies of behavior management
October 10 and 17: Treatment and Environment
Students will understand the clinical practice implications of:
- applying critical thinking to analyze and translate research findings pertaining to nonpharmacological clinical interventions that are acceptable and effective for clients in varying stages of neurocognitive disorder and sociocultural contexts
- applying critical thinking to analyze and translate research findings pertaining to available pharmacological treatments for neurocognitive disorder
- complexities in the management of multiple medical and psychiatric comorbidities and polypharmacy
- using inter-professional collaboration to identify and enact strategies for environmental risk reduction
- the importance of diversity and difference in shaping the experiences of people living with dementia, their family members, themselves, and other providers
- social, economic, and environmental justice to engage and advocate in partnership with people with dementia and their families in assuring their human rights are met and needs are fulfilled.
Cost
The total cost for the Adelphi University Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health and Aging is $675.00. The cost for Adelphi University Alumni is $650.00.
If you choose to attend either stand-alone training program:
Part I – Geriatrics Mental Illness and Populations at Risk
Spring 2025- Dates TBA
$285.00
12 CEs
Part 2 – Dealing with Dementia: Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders
September 12 – October 17, 2024
$390.00
18 CEs
Tuition Remission
If your agency takes student fieldwork placements from Adelphi, then the agency may be eligible for tuition remission. This may entitle you to a 30% discount off tuition pending your agency approval.
Policy and Application Instructions
Cancellation Policy
No refund can be made for cancellation seven or fewer working days before the onset of the postgraduate certificate program. Cancellations occurring more than seven working days before the onset of the program will result in a refund less the amount of the deposit. Requests for refunds must be received in writing.
Disclaimer: The University reserves the right to cancel this or any program due to insufficient enrollment. Registrants will be notified and full refunds will be issued.