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This website has been created as the final assignment for AGHE 821: Aging and Mental Health. This course is apart of the Master of Science in Aging and Health program offered through Queen’s University.

The purpose of this website is to review (governing and organizational) health policies relate to older adults.  As health is a provincially mandated discipline, I suspect there will be differences in how mental health policy is broadcasted and implemented across provinces, and possibly absent in the literature. This blog will take special note of social principles, and practice guidelines for working with older adults experiencing normal and abnormal mental health. The imbedded sub posts of the blog will also look further into how the main topic relates to the community setting, and within an institution.

Why was this topic chosen?

I chose this topic because I wanted create a project that was relevant for me in relation to where I live. Many of the peers in this class are located in Ontario, and therefore make reference to many of their own local organizations, services and policies. I was interested in policy as I am more familiar with the various government and organizational structures within Alberta in relation to Mental Health policy. Furthermore, I hope that I can draw attention to my insight in this topic if I were to seek employment in a policy-related field.

Why is this an important issue in the lives of older adults who experience both normal and abnormal mental health issues?

Policy is an important issue, because it should be designed to support people. Yet often times, policy lacks consultation from the target population. I hope this blog clarifies how connected our experiences are to policy, and inspires those with normal and abnormal mental health issues to form policy in a way that is supportive to them.

Disclaimer

It is important to note that the research for this blog had limited access to published policy documents. After reviewing grey literature, publications and consulting key informants for anecdotal information – the following blog post demonstrates my perspective on this topic.