Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Armando Barragan

Abstract

The older adult population is set to increase enormously in the United States. With a larger older adult population, there will also be an increased demand for services. This study worked to identify the effectiveness of mental health services being provided to older adults. Given that service providers are often provided minimal resources, providing efficient services assists with purposefully allocating resources. The study used the post positivist paradigm. The researcher developed a set of questions and conducted phone interviews with mental health service providers of older adults. After transcription, qualitative data analysis was completed to identify meaningful connections. The data analysis resulted in the identification of themes related to the perceptions of the older adult population, demand for increased training, perceptions regarding mental health services, meeting demand, and understanding the roles of service providers. Study results indicated that services were efficient when service providers understood their roles and participated on a multidisciplinary team to address the complex needs of older adults. The study also found that older adults have positive perceptions of mental health services and that service providers have a positive perception of older adults. The implications of this study apply to both macro and micro social work regarding providing multi-faceted services and increasing knowledge about the older adult population.

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