Mental Health and Aging

Area of focus: Health and wellbeing 

Mental health needs among older adults are growing, and the people most likely to encounter those needs aren’t mental health professionals — they’re the staff at senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging, housing programs, faith communities, and community organizations who see the signs first. In ASA’s Community Survey, 44% of respondents said they invest in learning for a challenge they’re currently facing. This group is for the people on that front line: exploring how community-based aging professionals recognize, respond to, and find support for the mental health challenges they encounter every day. 

Questions this group might explore: 

How do community-based professionals recognize mental health needs in the people they serve — and what do they do next? 

What training, tools, and referral pathways are available — and where are the gaps? 

How do grief, loss, isolation, and life transitions intersect with clinical mental health conditions? 

What does effective collaboration between aging services and behavioral health look like in practice?