Transforming Long-Term Care. Expanded Roles for Mental Health Professionals

Description

Most people fear the idea of living in a long-term care facility. Yet, there is potential for joy and meaning in these settings.

This book highlights expanded roles and services that mental health professionals can provide in long-term care for older adults, offering the potential to improve the quality of care for residents.

Beyond assessments and individual therapy, the authors make a case for mental health providers to help improve the long-term care environment for both residents and staff, thus having a greater impact on systems, culture, and ultimately, patient well-being.

Readers who wish to add or expand their services for older adults will find helpful guidance, including detailed instruction on Medicare policies and reimbursement practices.

The authors also present an innovative model of wrap-around care that involves the array of staff and family members who are present to the individual all day, every day. This comprehensive approach, called the Eldercare Method, positions the mental health professional to serve in the roles of teacher, consultant, role model, advocate, and clinician.

With numerous case examples to illustrate common scenarios and ethical dilemmas, this practical resource will help readers envision new ways to apply their skills in the rapidly growing field of long-term care for older adults.

Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• I. The Current State of Long-Term Care and Mental Health Services Within Long-Term Care
• A Snapshot of the Long-Term Care Environment
• Providing Traditional Mental Health Services in Long-Term Care
• Medicare Policy and Reimbursement for Direct Mental Health Services
• II. A Vision for Long-Term Care and the Role of Mental Health Professionals
• Emerging Best Practices and Envisioned Change in Long-Term Care
• Expanded Opportunities for Mental Health Care in Long-Term Care Settings
• Innovative Professional Practice: The Eldercare Method as an Illustration
• Conclusion: A Call for Partnership and Action
• Appendix: Resources for Clinical Care, Applied Research, Advocacy, and Professional Development
• References
• Index

Kelly O'Shea Carney, PhD, ABPP, CMC, is a geropsychologist and the executive director of the Center for Excellence in Dementia Care at Phoebe Ministries in Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

In her role at Phoebe, Dr. Carney provides leadership for the development of innovative models of dementia care and engages in research, publishing, and professional presentations to share information about innovative care practices. She also oversees comprehensive services to individuals with dementia and their caregivers, including mental health services based on the Eldercare Method model. 

For more than 15 years, Dr. Carney has consulted in long-term care, sharing the Eldercare model and guiding development of best practices dementia care.Dr. Carney is a frequently invited speaker at state and national meetings on eldercare topics and was appointed by Governor Corbett to serve on the Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Planning Committee. She is an active advocate for individuals with dementia and their caregivers, and has engaged in numerous professional and volunteer activities to support older adults, including serving as a member of APA's Committee on Aging. 

Margaret P. Norris, PhD, is a geropsychologist with more than 20 years' experience in direct care and consultation services in long-term care and other health care settings. Retired now from clinical work, she remains active in geropsychology organizations and consulting activities. 

Dr. Norris was an associate professor at Texas A&M University before transitioning into private practice. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Florida's Department of Health and Clinical Psychology in 1990. 

Dr. Norris is a respected trainer, educator, and writer in the areas of public policy, Medicare, and reimbursement practices. She has served in several leadership roles, including APA's Committee on Aging and is a past president of Psychologists In Long Term Care, Inc., and the Society of Clinical Geropsychology. 

She has been a member of numerous geropsychology boards, committees, and task forces, all with the mission to improve older adults' quality of life and advocate for their access to mental health services.