Advocating for all medical professionals to be trained in geriatric mental health services

As HELP volunteers, we have witnessed patients suffering from various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, or even suicidal thoughts; however, these older patients often do not express these hardships. Various studies have revealed that around 35% of hospitalized elderly patients show depressive symptoms throughout their hospital stay (Koenig et. al). Being able to recognize any signs of struggle allows for the initiation of assistance that patients might need, increasing the quality of their stay and overall quality of life, as supported by a study that found that counseling improved depression scores for depressed hospitalized elders (Mossey, et. al). Backed by this research, it is essential that healthcare professionals receive training, including how to administer a mental health screening tool, that enables them to recognize signs and symptoms of distress, specifically in elderly patients. Currently, many health professional schools, such as medical, PA, and nursing, do not include this type of extensive training on mental health in their curriculum (“Behavioral Health Training for Primary Care Providers”). In this poster, we evaluate the curriculum at the University of Dayton’s PA school and Wright State\u27s Boonshoft School of Medicine to determine what training is included. Then, we determine if this training is incorporated in a hospital setting, specifically in Miami Valley’s HELP program, and we conclude whether there are practical changes to education and implementation that should be made.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/3565/thumbnail.jp