| The
Geriatric Mental Health Training Series:
Supplemental
Modules
In the fourth and fifth year
of the training project, 12 additional modules were developed
and evaluated. These supplemental modules each follow the
same basic format as the “core” modules. Selected
topics are being revised and provided through the HCGNE.
By title and description, the following modules are provided.
- "Nurses Cry, Too" -- Grief
and Loss in Long-Term Care
Although many people know
about loss, mourning, and the stages of grief, these principles
are often not applied to the nursing staff working in long-term
care settings. This program examines factors that contribute
to unresolved grief and common stress-related symptoms and
behaviors that may occur as result. An emphasis is placed
on "self care prescriptions," interventions that
can be used by staff to reduce or eliminate distress and
to prevent problems.
- "The Confusion about Confusion"
-- Assessment and Management of Delirium
A number of things can cause
confusion in older adults. However, many times the confused
person is assumed to have Alzheimer's disease or some other
dementia, and is "written off" as being incurable.
This program focuses on delirium which may occur alone or
in combination with dementia in older adults. The cause
and course are discussed and contrasted against dementia
to assist care providers to recognize this highly treatable
and reversible disorder. An emphasis is placed on identification
and nursing care strategies to manage the difficult behaviors
associated with the disorder.
- "Apprehensive Elders" --
Understanding and Managing Anxiety in Older Adults
Although the onset of anxiety disorders
is rare in late life, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among
older adults is substantial. Anxiety may result from real-life
negative events or as the result of physical illness, medications,
and various psychiatric disorders. This program reviews common
emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms, and emphasizes
various causal factors. Staff are encouraged to utilize supportive
interventions to calm and soothe the distressed resident,
while being knowledgeable about, and supportive of, medical
and psychiatric interventions.
- "Someone's Stealing From Me!"
-- Paranoia in Later Life
Paranoid behavior, which can range
from simple suspiciousness to acute and troubling delusions,
is often difficult and frustrating to manage in long-term
care settings. The resident's false beliefs and blaming behavior
creates stress for everyone involved: the resident, the family,
other residents, and certainly the staff. This program examines
types and causes of paranoid behavior, focusing on paranoid
symptoms that are part of various types of mental disorder
in late life. Interventions to manage paranoid thoughts and
behaviors, including preventative measures, are reviewed.
- "Drug Do's and Don'ts" --
An Overview of Psychopharmacology with Elderly
The frequency of physical, mental,
and behavioral problems among older adults results in the
use of a wide range and number of medications. This program
briefly reviews the main types of psychotropic drugs, including
both benefits and limitations of various drug categories.
An emphasis is placed on the importance of teamwork in monitoring
older adults’ behavior for symptoms that are suggestive
of a medication side effect.
- Friend or Foe – Families of Older
Adults Living in Long-term Care Settings
Families can be both a resource and
a problem for long-term care staff and conflict between family
and staff can contribute to resident stress. A better understanding
of families on the part of staff can lead to improved resident
care along with better staff attitudes, increased job satisfaction
and decreased burnout and fatigue. This program reviews the
family stresses that can occur when a family member is placed
in a nursing home and how those stresses affect the family's
relationship with staff. Interventions for dealing with family
emotions and for problem solving with families are explained.
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