Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GEY6616
Tracking Number - 2707
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Current Status:
Approved, Permanent Archive - 2012-03-26
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: Change
Course Change Information (for course changes only): We are changing the title from Mental Health Assessment of Older Adults to Mental Health Assessment and Intervention with Older Adults; there is no change in the content of the class - the new title more accurately describes the content and would make the class more marketable.
Comments: to GC 2/6/12 (for MA in Geront.) appd to GC 2/20/12. to USF Sys 2/20/12. to SCNS 2/28/12. Apprd eff 4/15/12
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2012-01-11
- Department: School of Aging Studies
- College: BC
- Budget Account Number: 1229000
- Contact Person: Sandy Reynolds
- Phone: 8139749750
- Email: sreynold@usf.edu
- Prefix: GEY
- Number: 6616
- Full Title: Mental Health Assessment of Older Adults
- Credit Hours: 3
- Section Type: C -
Class Lecture (Primarily)
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: N
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?:
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): MNTL HLTH ASST INTV OLDRADLTS
- Course Online?: C -
Face-to-face (0% online)
- Percentage Online: 0
- Grading Option:
R - Regular
- Prerequisites: GEY 6614
- Corequisites:
- Course Description: Designed to provide the mental health counselor with a basic
understanding of evaluation principles and the application of
assessment approaches to older adults.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Offered as enrichment course (not part of program/concentration/certificate)
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? This is not a new course;
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Experience in Mental Health Assessment is desirable.
- Objectives: 1. To acquire knowledge and experience using select assessments to evaluate mental health functioning in older adults.
2. To obtain a basic understanding of mental health and ethical concerns in geriatric care.
3. To learn about the services provided and mental health issues addressed by a community-based non-profit agency.
4. To acquire experience with isolated or homebound elders by providing reassurance and safety telephone calls in a supervised environment.
- Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Outcomes: At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge and experience using select assessments to evaluate mental health functioning in older adults.
2. Explain mental health and ethical concerns in geriatric care.
3. Detail knowledge of services provided and mental health issues addressed by a community-based non-profit agency.
4. Work with isolated or homebound elders by providing reassurance and safety telephone calls in a supervised environment.
- Major Topics: Training on ElderNet and the Crisis Center
Evaluating and Promoting Cognitive Health Function and Behavioral Health
Understanding a Neuropsychological Report
Assessment of Depression
Assessment of Anxiety/Agitation
Assessment of Expressive and Receptive Language
Assessment of Dementia/Delirium
Screening and Assessment of Alcohol/Drug Problems
Assessing Suicide Risk, Elder Abuse, and Violence
Crisis Assessment and Intervention with Older Adults
Assessment and Intervention in Driving
Assessment of Capacity, Competence, and Advance Directives
Sleep and Sex
- Textbooks:
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: as needed
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: ElderNet Crisis Center Attendance 15%
ElderNet Service Learning Project Papers 25%
Completion of Values History 10%
GDS/MMSE Reports 20%
Final Exam 30%
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: 1. ElderNet Service Learning Project
As a significant activity of this service learning course, students will serve as an Elder Net telephone caller. Students will be required to complete a minimum of one 4 hour time block each week at a set time agreed upon between the student and ElderNet staff (15% of your grade is based on your attendance and participation as an ElderNet telephone caller at the Crisis Center). Students who provide ElderNet telephone calling services to older adults will be required to write 5, 1 page, single spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, response papers (worth 5 points each for a total of 25 points) papers using one of the topics listed below. A different topic has to be selected for each paper. Two of the topics listed below will not be used. A variety of topics are offered to insure that you can write from personal knowledge about service learning experience at the Crisis Center.
1) Your most challenging experience with an ElderNet client and how you resolved or addressed the issue.
2) Your most rewarding experience with an ElderNet client and what services or reassurance were provided.
3) The method of assessment you found to be most useful in working with ElderNet clients.
4) The services you provided most often and perceive to be of greatest value for ElderNet clients.
5) Your experience working with other staff members and mentoring you received from ElderNet/Crisis Center employees.
6) How your experience at ElderNet may inform your interactions or assessments with future clients.
7) The most important thing you learned as an ElderNet caller.
All response papers will be due at the start of class. Students will present their response papers as a class presentation on the assigned date.
2. GDS Administration and Report
Students will administer the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to two (2) people and write 1 brief report. The report should be 2 to 3 pages in length (1 to 1.5 pages per screened individual) and describe the administration process, items endorsed, interpretation of the cut score, and referral question. This assignment will be discussed in detail during the week four class. On the due date, your GDS paper must be submitted as a hardcopy in class.
3. MMSE Administration and Report
Students will administer the 30-item Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) to two (2) people and write 1 brief report. The report should be 2 to 3 pages in length (1 to 1.5 pages per screened individual) and describe the administration process, items failed, interpretation of the cut score, and referral question. This assignment will be discussed in detail during the week four class. On the due date, your MMSE paper must be submitted as a hardcopy in class.
4. Values History
Students will complete the Values History on pages 70 to 75 in the textbook. Students will discuss the importance of obtaining a values history when competing an advance directive.
5.Final Exam (30 multiple choice questions)
- Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: Make-up Final Exam
Make-up final exams are only permitted in the following circumstances: 1) death or illness in the student’s family, 2) student illness, 3) three or more final examinations on the same day, and 4) participation in a university sponsored activity at the time of a regularly scheduled examination. Make-up exams will not be granted for personal convenience or travel. Make-up exams will be granted only if the circumstances are documented, and advanced arrangements are made for the situations described in 3 and 4. This should be arranged with the instructor and generally by the sixth week of the semester.
Academic Dishonesty or Disruption of Academic Process
It is important to recognize that the classroom is an environment that requires respect for all participants. Therefore, students are expected to conduct themselves in a considerate manner. All participants in class must respect the classroom environment by being on time and turning off cell phones, pagers and headphones. Any form of cheating on examinations or plagiarism on assigned papers constitutes unacceptable deceit and dishonesty. Disruption of the classroom or teaching environment is also unacceptable. The University of South Florida has very specific policies and procedures regarding academic dishonesty or disruption of academic process. In the School of Aging Studies, we value academic honesty and good conduct in the classroom and as such, we strongly adhere to university guidelines with regard to departure from these conventions. Punishment for academic dishonesty includes receipt of a “0” or failing grade for a specific assignment, an “F” or “FF” final course grade, as well as suspension from the university for a semester or entire year. Unfortunately, we have been forced to deal with several cases of academic dishonesty during the past several years. If you have any questions about academic dishonesty, please see your instructor or university policies.
Cheating is defined as follows: (a) the unauthorized granting or receiving of aid during the prescribed period of a course-graded exercise: students may not consult written materials such as notes or books, may not look at the paper of another student nor consult orally with any other student taking the same test; (b) asking another person to take an examination in his/her place; (c) taking an examination for or in place of another student; (d) stealing visual concepts, such as drawing, sketches, diagrams, musical programs and scores, graphs, maps, etc. and presenting them as one’s own, (e) stealing, borrowing, buying, downloading from the Internet, or disseminating tests, answer keys, or other examination material except as officially authorized, research papers, creative paper, speeches, etc.; and (f) stealing or copying of computer programs and presenting them as one’s own.
If you have any questions, please refer to the University’s Undergraduate Academic Dishonesty policy at
• Procedures for Alleged Academic Dishonesty or Disruption:
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/adadap.htm
• Student Academic Grievance Procedures -- http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/arcsagp.htm
The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection service that allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism. All written assignments for this class will be submitted to this plagiarism program via Blackboard. Assignments are compared automatically with a huge database of journal articles, web articles, and previously submitted papers. Material that may not be original is flagged and a matching score is calculated. The Instructor receives the matching score and a report. See this website, http://www.cte.usf.edu/plagiarism/index.html, for additional information about this automated service and a student tutorial about plagiarism.
- Program This Course Supports: MA in Gerontology; Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
- Course Concurrence Information: Social Work; Public Health; Nursing;
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.