Groups help seniors through difficult times

The need for psychological support is multigenerational. Young children traumatized by abusive family situations, teens going through coming-of-age issues, couples struggling with keeping a marriage together and seniors trying to find a new focus after years of work, benefit from professional guidance.

For aging adults, the changes -- physical, vocational, social, geographical -- often equal depression.

At Bridge Counseling Associates, several programs are designed to help seniors in the valley, the fastest growing portion of Southern Nevada's population, move into their golden years unincumbered by problems that come with depression.

"Our philosophy is that if they want to be something, they should. We want to help them live an active, productive seniorhood ... an innovative, creative life," Yvonne Hess, executive director of the organization, said. "We don't treat seniors as if they are in the great waiting room."

Bridge Counseling Associates, located on West Charleston, is a comprehensive nonprofit family treatment center.

Two senior programs, Seniors in Control and Seniors and Substances, are funded by the United Way. Both programs offer group sessions to help seniors get through tough times, and come out ahead. Despite the group sessions, each participant is treated as an individual. "This is not a cookie cutter approach," Hess said.

Hess, who believes there is a growing number of active seniors in the valley, says they have a different need from the community. Active seniors may not need extensive medical assistance, but may need mental health support when spouses die or family is left behind in other parts of the country.

She considers one goal of her organization to be promoting healthy aging that includes mental health, through connecting with family and creating new social outlets.

"We have so many seniors in the valley with psychological problems (that stem from) losing a spouse or isolation," said Bruce McAnnany, deputy administrator of the Nevada Division for Aging.

The administrator, who also is concerned about the high suicide rate in the area, feels senior outreach programs, where counselors come to the home, help seniors receive needed help.

The Mental Health Outreach program, an offshoot of Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, offers homebound seniors psychological support.

"In older people, depression often manifests itself with physical symptoms," said Laurie Moore, director of senior mental health for the Nevada Division for Aging. "When nothing is discovered (in diagnosis), the senior isn't treated."

Moore, who has been working with older people for more than 16 years in the valley, notes that the growth has affected seniors' ability to seek help.

As the valley spreads out, the journey to get help -- possibly through traffic -- is daunting. The agency's outreach program has provided a way for counseling to come to seniors. Evelyn Halstead, a licensed clinical social worker for the Division of Aging, does the traveling for seniors by coming to their homes.

Moore also notes that support groups -- like Transitions, which focuses on adjusting to aging, and Children of Older Parents, which is open to people concerned about aging parents that they care for -- offer social opportunities for aging adults and those that care for them.

"Las Vegas can be a lonely town because of its transient nature," Moore said.

As the valley grows and the population ages in Las Vegas, many programs that help seniors are looking ahead to increased services.

Bridge Counseling Associates, which currently operates with 16 full-time social workers and eight contract social workers, may need to expand as Southern Nevada grows. "In the future we hope to offer a greater depth and breadth of services," Hess said. Their current senior case load is 73 clients.

For many nonprofit organizations in the valley, the United Way of Southern Nevada is the first step toward gaining funds from state and federal sources.

For Bridge Counseling Associates, United Way "opened immense doors," says Hess, executive director of the organization. United Way does not sustain agencies with an operating budget. It is their original interest in the programming Bridge had to offer, however, that made the relationship just as powerful as dollars.

For information about senior programs and group sessions at Bridge Counseling Associates, call 474-6450. To find out about support groups at the State of Nevada Division of Mental Health, call 486-5730. To learn about programs funded by the United way of Southern Nevada, call 734-CARE.