Health and aging policy fellows: dementia and mental health policy to improve lives of older adults
- Autores: Pamela Cacchione, Kathleen M. Pike, Brigitta Spaeth Rublee, Harold Alan Pincus
- Localización: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, ISSN 0002-8614, Vol. 66, Nº. Extra 1 (State of the Future in Global Aging, Dementia and Mental Health: Bridging Leadership in Science, Pra), 2018, págs. 53-57
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows (HAPF) Program has, since its inception in 2008, provided health policy training and mentorship for 113 gerontological professionals across a wide range of disciplines and stages of careers. The fellows' shared passion is the effective engagement of policy levers to improve the lives of older adults. This article briefly describes the HAPF Program and provides a sample of policies with which fellows have been engaged related to dementia and late‐life mental health. Approximately 20% of the fellows have specifically addressed one of these areas during their fellowship year. This would be expected, given that 14% of older adults aged 71 and older have a diagnosis of dementia, and although new mental health diagnoses decline as adults age, mental health conditions remain prevalent. Thus, we conclude by describing opportunities for future advocacy and policy efforts in dementia and mental health in the areas of funding, translating science to practice, interprofessional education and innovative models of care for persons with these conditions.
