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Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness: Changing Minds and Creating Opportunities
What can be done to overcome the stigma of mental illness? Because stigma is generally understood as a concatenation of negative attitudes and beliefs, community mental health education designed to change people’s minds seems to be what is needed. But there is another way to think about stigma -...
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Volunteering Makes Old Age Meaningful
When I moved to Baltimore to be closer to my daughter and grandchildren, I left behind 50 years of work in New York’s mental health community, 20 years of teaching at Columbia University School of Social Work, an active life in jazz and in photography, many friends, and (though I tried to avoid...
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A Social Determinants Perspective of the Intersection of Ageism, Racism and Social Isolation During COVID-19
There is now well-established evidence on how long-standing systemic health and social inequities compound one’s risk of acquiring COVID-19. However, further research is needed to explore how disadvantaged social status(es) may interact with mandated or recommended social policies that aim to...
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The Loneliness Epidemic and its Consequences
Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy described loneliness as an epidemic long before the Coronavirus emerged and disrupted relationships in ways we might never have imagined (McGregor, 2017). Despite extraordinary advances in telecommunications technologies that have enabled us to connect in...
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In the Shadow of the Pandemic: The Suicide Crisis in America
The pandemic, overdue confrontations of racism, and fears about the outcome of the 2020 election have diminished America’s alarm about rising drug overdose and suicide rates. But these epidemics continue, albeit in the shadow of COVID-19. This fall 2020 issue of Behavioral Health News is...
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Caring for Older Adults
We are now eight years into the “elder boom.” Sadly, the implications of this vast demographic shift are still not taken seriously. Yes, there is anxiety about sustaining Social Security and Medicare. And yes, there’s increasing talk about “healthy aging.” But even with these most obvious...
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A Comprehensive Look at What’s Needed to Age in Place with Dignity
Former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter stated, “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Caregiving for the elderly is a growing phenomenon in the...
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Substance Misuse in Older Adults
In recognition of the State’s commitment to healthy aging, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) designated New York as the first Age-Friendly State in the nation. The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) recognizes that a key component of healthy aging is...
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Stability, Wisdom, and Strength: Older Adults in Supported Housing
This article is part of a quarterly series giving voice to the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences as they share their opinions on a particular topic. The authors of this column facilitated a focus group of their peers to inform this writing. The authors are served by Services for...
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Senior Volunteer Programs Provide More than Service
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the 65 and older population will reach 73 million by 2030. Baby boomers are the fastest growing population in the United States and by 2029 will comprise 20% percent of the total national population. With that in mind, social service providers are...
