Behavioral Approaches Reduce Care Demands of Older Adults

The shortage of health care professionals to address the mental health needs of the rapidly growing number of older adults calls for training content that is easily accessed, is high quality, and promotes collaborative behavioral health approaches.

SAN DIEGO, CA - Starting in 2010, the U.S. will see 10,000 people turn 65 each and every day, for the next 20 years. But, in the face of this burgeoning older adult population, there is a shortage of health care professionals prepared to meet the mental health needs of this group. Further, the number of paraprofessionals and family members caring for older adults living at home is skyrocketing. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, caregivers are now present in 1 in every 5 households in the U.S., and over 80% of these caregivers are family members. One company is hoping to address this shortage of trained professionals and paraprofessionals by reaching beyond traditional conference settings and local workshops, and instead relying on the internet to bring education, consultation, and assessment strategies to its audience. Thru its online courses and web conferences, Concept Healthcare, LLC, gives users hands-on, practical information to help them better understand the changes that accompany aging, and how they can be more effective to meet the older adult’s needs. The impetus for this model came from the professional experiences and 30 years as a geropsychologist of the company’s CEO, Joseph M. Casciani, PhD. In his view, mental health practitioners must take a “more active role in collaborating with other primary care providers to help patients better recover from, or at least better manage, the myriad problems they face in their later years.” Even the federal Medicare program advocated for this role when, in 2002, it authorized billing codes allowing psychologists to address the emotions, behaviors, and attitudes underlying medical disorders and chronic disease. It is obvious why Concept Healthcare uses the shortened name, CoHealth, for its inspiration, and for its website name, http://www.cohealth.org. The common thread that weaves through all of the company’s products and training events is the importance of behavioral approaches when caring for the older adult, whether in the form learning to communicate with the person with dementia or helping with decision making with a terminally ill patient. As Casciani states, “our commitment is to raise caregivers’ awareness of the benefit of partnering with behavioral health specialists, and integrating these approaches whenever possible.” There is an array of educational topics for visitors to the company’s website, from clinical content and disease management, to help for families on understanding the patient with Alzheimer’s disease, and how to improve the odds of a successful nursing home placement. The company’s live web conference series for 2009 will bring in national experts to speak on topics ranging from detecting dementia to building successful geropsychology practices. The CoHealth model runs throughout Concept Healthcare. It has taken on a new direction with the formation of professional corporations that will actually put these concepts into practice by hiring practitioners to work in long term care settings. It is expected that both patients and treatment teams will benefit from this collaborative approach. Interested parties can subscribe to the company’s monthly eNewsletter, review its library of over 30 online course offerings and upcoming web conferences, and learn more about custom training programs on its website, http://www.cohealth.org. About Concept Healthcare Concept Healthcare is a web-based company providing educational content and training for professionals, health care settings, and family members who care for older adults, focusing on improving the physical and psychological well being of this group. Online courses, live web conferences, and custom training programs are tailored for individuals and groups, including LTC facilities, hospices, and home health organizations. Continuing education credit is authorized by many state and professional organizations. Contact: Susan P. Christ Director of Sales and Marketing 4901 Morena Blvd., Ste 109 San Diego, CA 92117-3370 858-272-3992 (o) 858-272-3804 (f) 619-892-1344 (m) schrist@cohealth.org http://www.cohealth.org

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CoH is a web-based company providing education for health care professionals and family members who care for older adults. The online content and live web conferences focus on approaches to improve physical and psychological well being of older adults.