Military Service and Aging Adults Recognizing Mental Health Concerns and Issues

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the topic of military service and older adults and mental health. Depression, suicide, and other mental health issues will be explored in this workshop. Professionals who work with service members across the age span will learn to appreciate and understand the military culture of group versus individual interests. To decrease the possibility of resistance or defensiveness by nonmilitary clinicians or other practitioners, this workshop will increase awareness regarding the “culture of group” and decrease a perception that the professional helpers are outsiders and cannot relate to service members.

Topics Include:
  • Recognize the importance of understanding military values in order to create a trusting relationship with a military member and/or retired military veteran
  • Identify barriers to mental health treatment for military members
  • Describe the health concerns of women in the military
  • Identify the health and mental health needs of LGBT military personnel
  • Compare the trajectory of PTSD symptoms of current returning veterans and those who were served in World War II, Viet Nam, or Korean conflicts
  • Build an understanding of co-occurring family problems for returning veterans and the impact of deployment
  • Employ the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide when assessing for suicide risk
Course Code
505862