Services for Older Adults Get New Leader

Critical support for Northland older adults and those who care for them will continue with a new program leader at Tri-County Mental Health Services.

Lynn Vanderweel recently began as Tri-County’s Older Adult Educator, a deceptively simple title that covers a broad spectrum of effort.

“I have big shoes to fill,” Vanderweel said, noting her predecessor Sally King who helped initiate many of Tri-County’s services for older adults in Clay, Platte and Ray counties. “But it’s an area I’m vitally interested in and it’s off to a good start.”

A resident of rural Liberty, Vanderweel has worked in the field with the Children’s Mercy Hospital’s grandparents support group. She also served as an intern with Tri-County and Saint Luke’s Hospice program. Last year, Vanderweel served with the Department of Health and Human Services in Kansas City, a stint she says gave her insight into the nation’s many health care changes.

“There’s a big push on prevention that’s very important for older adults,” she noted. “Many of the changes in Medicare and the Affordable Health Care Act benefit older adults, so it’s important to stay up to date on those.”

Vanderweel first became interested in working with older adults while earning her master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. “I found that once I started working with the grandparents, that’s the population that’s near and dear to my heart. A lot of social workers shy away from it, but once I was introduced to it, I was hooked.”

With Tri-County’s Older Adults Program, Vanderweel works with both older adults and those who assist them. The latter group includes everyone from church volunteers to professionals in other area organizations, including nursing homes.

A big part of the program involves sharing information or leading training sessions in the communities of Clay, Platte and Ray counties.  Although the topics focus on older adult mental health issues such as depression, dementia, or delirium, she also covers everyday stress, coping skills, and other topics.

“I can customize a presentation on older adult mental health issues that a specific group would like covered,” she explained. “There is no charge for this service and I am glad to speak with caregivers, older adults and any organizations or professionals that serve them.”

For more information on Tri-County’s Older Adult programs and outreach, contact Lynn Vanderweel at (816) 877-0485 or e-mail lynnv@tri-countymhs.org.

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