Mental Health Programs
Globally, the population aged 65 and over is growing faster than all other age groups. Many older adults are at risk for mental health problems. But this does not mean that mental health problems are a normal part of aging. It's important to recognize and treat mental disorders in older adults. These disorders don't just cause mental suffering. They can also make it harder for you to manage other health problems. This is especially true if those health problems are chronic. Depression, dementia, and suicide are the most common and serious. Geriatric depression may be disregarded as frailty. Dementia is a complex clinical syndrome in which cognitive functions such as general intelligence, learning, language, and higher levels of mental function decline.
PEARLS
The PEARLS program teaches depression management techniques to seniors with minor depression. It consists of eight in-home counseling sessions followed by monthly phone calls. Depression is known to have a profound impact on the health and quality of life of seniors, as well as their ability to live independently. Depressed older adults are less likely to follow their doctors’ treatment guidelines or engage in healthy practices to self-manage chronic health conditions. The Korean Service Center facilitate PERALS since 2019 to help elderly Koreans struggling with depression, and more than 9,400 people across the U.S. has benefited from this program.
To learn more:
Sojoung Cho
Program Manager
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Dementia
As of 2021, the prevalence of dementia continues to increase, reaching 1 (11.3%) in 9 Americans over the age of 65. The Korean Service Center strives to make the Korean community in Minnesota a dementia-friendly community by improving awareness of dementia and disseminating information.
- Dementia information delivery education and workshop
- Quarterly employee dementia training
- Cognitive ability test for dementia screening
To learn more:
Sojoung Cho
Program Manager
