Discussion of mental health/well-being in late life requires a shift in perspective away from problems and what can be done to fix them (Sherman, 1991). The board of directors of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) recommends that we “view mental health care-just as we view physical health care-along a continuum from promotion of good mental health to treatment of serious illness” (AARP, 1994a, as cited in Gatz, 1995).
Gatz (1995) quoting Schlossberg (1993), suggested that we will need a “mental health portfolio” that can help us develop or maintain a sense of hope and optimism, a belief that we matter to other people, and a set of coping skills to deal with traumas and inconveniences of life. A few programs designed to promote mental health in older adults are suggested. The emphasis of these programs is on the activities to enhance competence, self-esteem, and a sense of well-being rather than prevent a disorder (Gatz, 1995).
Wellness Programs Alert and Alive is a well-known program, which was piloted in senior centers in different ethnic neighborhoods of New York City. It is a two-part model consisting of a course in mental health education, followed by leadership training for older volunteers. It represents a “holistic approach” to growing older: integrating mind, body and emotional needs. Program participants learn how to think creatively, relieve stress, exercise their bodies, and work comfortably with their emotional concerns.
Emphasizing coping skills rather than clinical applications is key to both the theory and practice of the mental wellness course. In Perlstein’s (1992) view, the safety of the peer environment helps participants discover commonalities, receive support, and begin to “redo” patterns. Alert and Alive program has 12 sessions and each includes a presentation by a professional guest speaker and a discussion facilitated by volunteers, as well as a physical and mental wellness warm-up and a healthy snack.
In line with the program goal of helping adults take charge of their own emotional well-being, the topics for the workshops are chosen on the basis of a survey of senior center members (Gatz, 1995). A publication listing organizations that promote mental health and wellness, of the National Resource Center on Health Promotion and Aging (1991), briefly describes several programs. For example, Growing Wiser, a comprehensive mental wellness program developed by Healthwise in Boise, Idaho.
The Realizing Opportunities for Self- Exploration (ROSE) program developed by Share DeCroix Bane is another example of a holistic program suitable for community living or institutionalized older adults. Among the most common health-promotion groups are those designed to help older adults cope with transitions and losses. They are the life review and bereavement groups (Gatz,1995).