Lesson 6: Healthy Aging

Attention

Being physically healthy is a big part of healthy aging, but it is not the only part...nor is it always a necessary part!

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Identify factors that are associated with successful aging
  • Identify potential barriers to successful aging that individuals with mental illness may experience

Teaching

Reach Chapter 7 in Vaillant

Healthy aging involves the development of healthy social, emotional, and physical health.

Psychosocial Health

Psychosocial health contrasts the Happy-Well person with the Sad-Sick person. One has to consider, however, that there are many ways in which a person can be "sick". This is psychosocial sickness...

  • attitudes
  • depression
  • motivation
  • emotions
  • friends
  • etc.

These are the things that can become sick...even if the body is "well" or "sick" will illness, disease, or simply getting worn out. We all have our own perceptions of aging and what being old looks like. Below is a link to watch 4 different short films which were film submissions for the 2014 Health Aging Film Festival in Seattle, Washington. You are encourage to watch one or more films to continue to expose yourself to others perspective on growing old and what that means.

Healthy-Aging-Film-Festival-is-Fun-for-All!.htm

Consider the six dimensions that Vaillant uses to differentiate between the Happy-Well and the Sad-Sick person:

  • Absence of objective physical disability
  • Subjective physical health
  • Length of undisabled life
  • Objective mental health
  • Objective social supports
  • Subjective life satisfaction

Now, consider the life of a person who has mental illness...which of these areas may be challenging to encounter in order to help bring about "healthy aging" in this population?

The following chapter is from Burack-Weiss, A. (2006). The Caregiver's Tale : Loss and Renewal in Memoirs of Family Life. New York: Columbia University Press. The chapter describes the challenges caregivers face when they have loved one in their lives who experience mental illness as part of their life's journey. The chapter is in two PDF's below:

Mental Illness and Chemical Dependence Burack-Weiss Ch 5 pg 31-37 and Burack-Weiss Ch 5 pg 37 - 39

Incorporate the perspectives of the family members in the Burack-Weiss book as you answer the discussion questions below.

Assessment

Lesson 6 Discussion

At the end of this lesson I pose a question about these 6 dimensions that are important to successful aging. Discuss what challenges persons with mental illness face to obtain healthy aging. What do you think a mental health worker could do to help the person?