Resources on this page are intended for service providers and prospective workshop facilitators. If you are an older adult or caregiver, or are looking for resources to distribute, please view our resources for older adults and caregivers.
Get involved
Our community of interest is open to caregivers, health service providers, and community staff supporting older adults, as well as older adults interested in project updates and resources.
Join our Community of Interest on EENet Connect
About the project
How can we support the mental health and well-being of older adults in Ontario?
The Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being in Later Life project aims to:
- Raise awareness of mental health and substance use issues among older adults and promote help-seeking behaviour.
- Respond to the unique needs and strengths of older adults from immigrant refugee, ethnocultural and racialized (IRER) groups and Indigenous older adults.
- Address the needs of older adults living in long-term care facilities and retirement homes.
To meet these goals, we have developed a set of evidence-based workshops, training modules, and resources for service providers, caregivers, and adults over the age of 65. We work closely with community partners and our Advisory Group, composed of representatives of organizations serving older adults from diverse communities.
Workshops | Resources | Training modules | Project team
Workshops
Our evidence-based workshops and associated materials are used across the province in different community contexts with older adults. The twelve workshop topics include an overview, mental health promotion, anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, delirium, psychosis, opioids and benzodiazepines, cannabis and alcohol, gambling, and navigating the care system.
This series has also been adapted to honor the traditional knowledge and community expertise of Métis peoples.
Become a facilitator
We are always looking for new partners who are interested in delivering the workshop series to older adults in their local communities.
In order to facilitate a workshop, facilitators must have:
- facilitation experience, and
- experience working in the mental health and addictions field.
Facilitators and partnering organizations also get access to evidence-based curriculum and support from Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital, all at no cost.
If you have questions about the workshop series or are interested in becoming a facilitator, send us an email: olderadults@camh.ca
Resources
Alongside the 12 workshops, our team has developed corresponding handouts and multiple fact sheets for older adults. These products are available in multiple languages (English, French, simplified and traditional Chinese, Punjabi, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Tamil, Urdu, and Vietnamese) thanks to a collaboration with community-based partners.
Training modules
Aging and mental health: A primer on health equity, diversity and anti-racism
This free, self-directed online course is designed to increase your awareness of the social and structural factors influencing the mental health of older adults from immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural and racialized (IRER) groups. Access the course.
Supporting the mental health of older adults in care
This free, self-directed, online course is for service providers and staff working with older adults in long-term care and retirement homes. It provides an overview of mental health and mental illness in older adults in care, including factors specific to older, diverse populations. Access the course.
Project team
This project is led by the Provincial System Support Program (PSSP) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) with funding from the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH). Meet the project team (PDF).
Related resources, news, and events
Research Snapshot: Social isolation and psychological distress among older adults related to COVID-19
Resource | Jul 18, 2022Research Snapshot: Discrimination reported by older adults living with mental health conditions
Resource | Jul 11, 2022Course updates for service providers working with older adults
News | Jun 7, 2022Become a workshop facilitator for older adults
News | May 6, 2022Webinar recording: How to support the mental health and well-being of older adults and service and care providers
Resource | Mar 22, 2022Supporting older adults with substance use challenges
Resource | Mar 17, 2022Mental health and well-being in later life: A multilingual resource series
Resource | Mar 7, 2022Webinar: How to support the mental health and well-being of older adults and service and care providers
Event | Mar 2, 2022Webinar: Social prescribing as a pathway to well-being
Event | Feb 23, 2022Research Snapshot: Ethnic differences in mental health status and service utilization
Resource | Feb 7, 2022Webinar recording: Older adults and service delivery from an ARAO framework
Resource | Jan 26, 2022Webinar: Older adults and service delivery from an ARAO framework
Event | Jan 12, 2022Webinar recording: Key elements to assisting people living with dementia in ethnocultural communities
Resource | Dec 3, 2021Webinar recording: Best practices for language access in older adult populations
Resource | Nov 26, 2021Research Snapshot: Organizational conditions that influence work engagement and burnout
Resource | Nov 22, 2021Webinar: Key elements to assisting people living with dementia in ethnocultural communities
Event | Nov 12, 2021Webinar: Best practices for language access in older adult populations
Event | Nov 1, 2021Research Snapshot: Mental health care of older adults
Resource | Oct 3, 2021CAMH publication about older adults with mental health and addiction problems
News | Jul 26, 2021Multilingual resources to support mental health and well-being in later life
News | Jun 22, 2021Online course: Supporting the mental health of older adults in care
Resource | Jun 11, 2021Webinar: Launch of multilingual mental health resources for older adults
Event | May 25, 2021Online course: A primer on health equity, diversity and anti-racism
Resource | May 18, 2021Grieving during COVID-19: What health service providers of older adults need to know
Resource | May 11, 2021Promising practice: Addressing older adult loneliness through the Rx Community social prescribing pilot
Resource | Sept 18, 2020Strategies for social connection among isolated older adults
Resource | Aug 14, 2020Evidence brief: Virtual and remote mental health care for older adults
Resource | Jul 30, 2020Preventing and recognizing burnout and compassion fatigue when working with older adults
Resource | Jul 10, 2020