Acknowledgments

Responding to Older Adults with Substance Use, Mental Health and Gambling Challenges

The idea for this booklet originated from a funding proposal written by Randi Fine of the Older Persons' Mental Health and Addictions Network of Ontario (OPMHAN) and Margaret Flower of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) for their workshop Demystifying Concerns: Seniors' Mental Health, Substance Use and Problem Gambling. Further development and content came from the workshop itself.

The idea of the booklet was then taken out to focus groups of first contact workers, conducted in partnership by opmhan and CAMH in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Casselman and Ottawa in winter 2004. Participants in these groups talked about the challenges of working with older adults with mental health and addiction problems, and about what they needed to help them in their work. We hope this booklet begins to address those needs.

Once a draft for the booklet was in process, more people became involved in its development. Drafts were reviewed by members of the CAMH Healthy Aging Project Team, by external experts and, finally, by members of the booklet's target audience. The comments and suggestions provided by these reviewers helped to shape and refine the draft.
Development, research and writing of the booklet was by Michelle Maynes, and the illustrations and design were created by Mara Korkola, both of Education & Publishing at CAMH. The impetus and funding for the development of this publication grew out of camh's commitment to recognizing diversity.

Many, many thanks to all who gave their time, insight, expertise, artistry and support to this project.

Jennifer Barr
Project Leader
CAMH Healthy Aging Project

December 2005

CAMH Healthy Aging Project Team

• Jennifer Barr, Project Leader, Education and Publishing Consultant, CAMH
• Blanche E. Beneteau, Project Consultant, CAMH
• Peter Chen, Addiction Therapist/Trainer, Problem Gambling Service, CAMH
• Danièle Daigle, Community Health Education Specialist, CAMH
• Michelle Donald, Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant, CAMH
• Margaret Flower, Manager, Older Persons' Unique Solutions (OPUS 55), CAMH
• Dr Luis Fornazarri, Clinical Director, Neurogeriatric Psychiatry Program, CAMH
• Michelle Maynes, Publishing Developer, CAMH
• Leona Murphy, System Planning Consultant, CAMH
• Lise Nolet, Project Consultant, CAMH
• Pat Russell, Project Consultant, CAMH
• Cindy Smythe, Research Associate, CAMH
• Charmaine Spencer, Research Associate and Adjunct Professor, Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University.

Professional Reviewers

• Evelyn Bakich, RN, CPGC, Counsellor, Sister Margaret Smith Centre
• Monica Bretzlaff-Nearing, BA, TRS, Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant, Northeast Mental Health Centre
• Sherry Dupuis, PhD, Director, Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program
• Randi Fine, Executive Director, Older Persons' Mental Health and Addictions Network of Ontario
• Gabriella Golea, Administrative Director, Geriatric Mental Health Program, CAMH
• Mary Jane Herlihy, RN, BScN, Clinical Education Consultant, Paramed Home Heath Care
• Kathleen Kennedy, RN, BA, MPA, Program Coordinator, Personal Support Worker Program, St Lawrence College
• Ellie Munn, Project Consultant, CAMH
• Betty MacGregor, MSW, Manager, Lifestyle Enrichment for Senior Adults (LESA) and Diabetes Education progams, Centretown Community Health Centre
• David Patrick Ryan, PhD, C.Psych., Director of Education, Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto; Assistant Professor and Consultant in Distance Education and Knowledge Translation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
• Sharon M.K. Saunders, Education Manager, Alzheimer Society of Ontario
• Marilyn Weekley, RN, Medical Priorities Home Health Care

Target Audience Reviewers

• Yvonne Clackett, Personal Support Worker, Medical Priorities
• Kathleen Commanda, Personal Support Worker, Algonquin Tennisco Manor
• Richard Greene, Volunteer, Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
• Khoon Yee (Connie) Hamer-Ng, Personal Support Worker, ParaMed and Comcare
• Keitha Mitchell, RN, BNSc, Community Support Worker, Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
• Zofia Paluch, Senior Personal Support Worker, loft Community Services
• Judy Patterson, Personal Support Worker, Elm Grove Living Centre
• Monica Taylor, Health Care Aide, Elm Grove Living Centre

And thanks also to the others who preferred not to have their names listed here.

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