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The number of people living to very old age is increasing exponentially. Improving the Mental Health of Very Old People applies a person-centred recovery-oriented focus for working with people who are moving into very old age. It investigates the challenges in recognising and supporting the potential for very old people to contribute to society, as well as the concept of recovery in the presence of cognitive decline or severely impaired health. It evaluates key aspects of person-centred care, its practicalities in everyday practice and its effectiveness in improving clinical outcome. Students will be adapting assessment, care planning, management and interventions to meet the needs of very old people, as well ad deepening their knowledge of very old age, grief, ethico-legal issues, dementia and behavioural and psychological changes that may occur in the presence of dementia. This unit also allows students to reflect on changes in their practice in regards to developmental crises related to the very old.
Upon completion of the unit, students will be able to: