the psychological health needs of the individual using training programs
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I am currently working in an assisted facility as a social worker assigned to a window who is residing there, in her early 70s, and who is in reasonably good health.
Recently, I have noticed that she is a bit withdrawn, missing activities, which once formed part of her enjoyment like daily walks and water aerobics, and not attending shared meals, which used to be a favorite social pastime. When I ask her about this, the individual tells me that she is a "little depressed" and cannot seem to "get up and get out" to see people or do things anymore. She says that it "does not matter" and no one will miss them in any case.
I would respond to this issue by addressing the psychological health needs of the individual using training programs in which I would adapt specific physical activities from a professional point of view. After reading my text on Leisure and Aging, I have learned the relationship between mental health and physical conditions, especially in old age.
In particular, I would start engaging the individual in the smooth-running practice of a modestly physical exercise as the World Health Organization recommends. That would, other than enhancing balance, averting falls, and reinforcing muscles promote her psychological well-being in overcoming her little depression. The exercise would be low-cost and easy for her to access. I would potentially customize the activities to fit her specific needs by adapting a brief training program.
To help redirect this pattern of behavior, during the daily exercises, I would assess her well-being using a Mental Health Continuum form, a short questionnaire to regulate her emotions, and a scale to monitor her satisfaction with life. For best results, I would evaluate her physical functioning before and after the program.
After reading my textbook on Leisure and aging, I am confident that this training program would benefit my client physically as well as adaptively regulate her emotions, which would end in increased emotional well-being and improved mental health. Better emotional well-being would translate to the individual socializing with others and improving her emotional functioning. That would underpin the perspective of the old age as a period of competency growth and adaptive habituation, as opposed to a stage of just a psychophysical downturn.
The risk in this individual continuing on a path of missing events and activities would be a possible cognitive decline, impairment, increased risk of dementia, reduced immune system due to less social activities, more negative emotional states, and high chances of depression Vis-à-vis stress that has already started manifesting in her.