divider

Understanding mental health and well-being in later life

See related content

As part of the Understanding mental health and well-being in later life initiative, the Provincial System Support Program (PSSP) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has developed a series of community-based workshops, online courses, multilingual resources, learning and engagement events, as well as a community of interest for services providers, older adults and community members interested in knowing more on how to maintain good mental health while aging, specific mental health or substance use challenges, and where to access help.

Please note that this project concluded on March 31, 2025, and course content, workshop materials, and related resources are not being updated. All resources are still available for public use, free of charge, through a self-serve model.

Are you a service provider interested in delivering workshops in your community?

Multilingual Mental Health and Well-Being Fact Sheets for Older Adults

What is mental health? What is mental illness? What is addiction? Alongside the 12 workshops, our team has developed corresponding handouts and multiple fact sheets to help older adults learn more about mental health and well-being in later life, and where to find support.

These products are available in 12 languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Vietnamese, Tamil and Urdu) thanks to a collaboration with community-based partners.

Video Series 

Voices of Aging Navigating Mental Health, Care and Connection
As we age, maintaining mental health and well-being can become increasingly challenging. Older adults may face issues like memory loss, loneliness, and difficulty navigating healthcare systems that can feel overwhelming or inaccessible. Cultural differences, language barriers, and discrimination can make it even harder to get the support they need.

In this video series, you'll meet Mei, Gung Gung, Leszek and Rosemary. Each faces unique challenges as they navigate the complexities of aging and mental health or help their loved ones do the same. Though their stories are fictionalized, they shine a light on the struggles that many people encounter as they age.

Watch as these characters find hope, resilience, connection, and health care support when they need it most.

Whether you’re an older adult or a caregiver, this series offers valuable insights into understanding mental health and well-being in later life. Access here. 

Workshops for Service Providers

Are you interested in bringing workshops addressing mental health and aging to your community? We are always looking to recruit new partners to deliver our workshops! We offer a series of 12 evidence-based workshops that can be delivered to older adults in different community settings across Ontario. The workshops cover a broad range of mental health, addiction and substance use topics, including:

This series has also been adapted to honour the traditional knowledge and community expertise of Métis people in Ontario.

How to become a workshop facilitator

Providers and partner organizations interested in delivering workshops to older adults in their community can access an evidence-based curriculum and training from Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital—at no cost.

To facilitate a workshop, you should have experience:

Click here to get started

Connect with other service providers

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

Contact 

Have questions? Send us an email at kmb@camh.ca.

Related resources, news, and events