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As demonstrated in this week’s Discussion, social workers must uphold the value of dignity and worth of the person, as well as the ethical standard of self-determination, as they navigate assessment of elderly/aging adults. Another area in which assessment of this population can be complex is that mental health disorders may mimic cognitive issues or even the natural progression of aging. It may be difficult to determine, for example, whether a particular symptom is due to mental illness or memory loss. This is where knowledge of human behavior and the social environment can assist as you parse through all the information you are receiving from the client, caregivers, and other professional providers.
Though you won’t be diagnosing in this course, it is important for you to become familiar with common mental health diagnoses (via the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM] ) for this population and how assessment tools connect with diagnosis. In this Assignment, you select a tool used for assessing elderly/aging clients and analyze how it might inform diagnosis.
RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
TO PREPARE
• Access the Online Assessment Measures link in the Learning Resources.
• On that site, explore at least three different assessment tools for elderly/aging adults under the various categories. A few that you may consider are: Severity Measure for Depression, Adult; Severity Measure for Separation Anxiety Disorder, Adult; and Severity Measure for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Adult.
• Select one assessment tool that you can see yourself using in practice with elderly/aging adult clients. Do not use a tool that you have chosen previously.
• Consider why you have chosen this assessment tool and its strengths and limitations.
• With the elderly/aging population in mind, consider common mental health diagnoses for this population and how the assessment tool you have chosen may assist with diagnosis.
BY DAY 7
Submit a 1-page paper analyzing the assessment tool you have chosen:
• Why did you select the assessment tool?
• Why might it be especially helpful for use with elderly/aging adults?
• What challenges or limitations might there be for this assessment tool?
• What are two common mental health diagnoses associated with the elderly/aging population, and how might the assessment tool you identified assist with diagnosis?
Use the Learning Resources to support your Assignment. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

DO NOT USE: Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), AND Severity Measure of Depression- Adult (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9])

 

Disorder-Specific Severity Measures
For Adults
• Severity Measure for Depression—Adult (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9])
• Severity Measure for Separation Anxiety Disorder—Adult
• Severity Measure for Specific Phobia—Adult
• Severity Measure for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)—Adult
• Severity Measure for Panic Disorder—Adult
• Severity Measure for Agoraphobia—Adult
• Severity Measure for Generalized Anxiety Disorder—Adult
• Severity of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms—Adult (National Stressful Events Survey PTSD Short Scale [NSESS])
• Severity of Acute Stress Symptoms—Adult (National Stressful Events Survey Acute Stress Disorder Short Scale [NSESS])
• Severity of Dissociative Symptoms—Adult (Brief Dissociative Experiences Scale [DES-B])

Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures
For Adults
• Level 2—Depression—Adult (PROMIS Emotional Distress—Depression—Short Form)
• Level 2—Anger—Adult (PROMIS Emotional Distress—Anger—Short Form)
• Level 2—Mania—Adult (Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale [ASRM])
• Level 2—Anxiety—Adult (PROMIS Emotional Distress—Anxiety—Short Form)
• Level 2—Somatic Symptom—Adult (Patient Health Questionnaire 15 Somatic Symptom Severity Scale [PHQ-15])
• Level 2—Sleep Disturbance—Adult (PROMIS—Sleep Disturbance—Short Form)
• Level 2—Repetitive Thoughts and Behaviors—Adult (Adapted from the Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory [FOCI] Severity Scale [Part B])
• Level 2—Substance Use—Adult (Adapted from the NIDA-Modified ASSIST)

Use these references my professor do not like outside resources.

References
Brandell, J. R. (Ed.). (2020). Theory & practice in clinical social work (3rd ed.). Cognella.
Columbia Lighthouse Project. (n.d.). The Columbia protocol for healthcare and other community settings. https://cssrs.columbia.edu/the-columbia-scale-c-ssrs/cssrs-for-communities-and-healthcareLinks to an external site.

Hedegaard, H., Curtin, S. C., & Warner, M. (2021). Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2019 (NCHS Data Brief No. 398). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db398-H.pdfLinks to an external site.

• Brandell, J. R. (Ed.). (2020). Theory & practice in clinical social work (3rd ed.). Cognella.
o Chapter 15, “Clinical Practice With Older Adults” (pp. 334–355)
• Elman, A., Rosselli, S., Burnes, D., Clark, S., Stern, M. E., LoFaso, V. M., Mulcare, M. R., Breckman, R., & Rosen, T. (2020). Developing the emergency department elder mistreatment assessment tool for social workers using a modified Delphi techniqueLinks to an external site.. Health & Social Work, 45 (2), 110–121. https://doi.org/10.1093/hsw/hlz040
• Hung, M., Voss, M. W., Bounsanga, J., Graff, T., & Birmingham, W. C. (2019). Assessing spousal support and health in an aging population: Support and strain amidst changing social dynamicsLinks to an external site.. Social Work in Health Care, 58 (4), 345–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2019.1569577
• Tampi, R. R., & Tampi, D. J. (2020). The most prevalent psychiatric disorder in older adultsLinks to an external site.. Psychiatric Times, 37 (7), 44–45. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/most-prevalent-psychiatric-disorder-older-adults
• American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Online assessment measures Links to an external site.. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/educational-resources/assessment-measures

SOLUTION

Assessment Tool Analysis: Severity Measure for Generalized Anxiety Disorder—Adult

The Severity Measure for Generalized Anxiety Disorder—Adult was selected because anxiety is one of the most prevalent and frequently underrecognized mental health concerns among elderly and aging adults. According to Tampi and Tampi (2020), anxiety disorders are common in later life but are often mistaken for normal aging processes or medical conditions. This brief, self-report DSM-based tool allows social workers to systematically assess the severity of anxiety symptoms while respecting client autonomy and self-determination, core values of social work practice (Brandell, 2020).

This assessment tool is especially helpful when working with elderly and aging adults because it is concise, easy to administer, and focuses on current symptom severity rather than long-term recall, which can be challenging for individuals experiencing mild cognitive decline. Additionally, the measure helps differentiate anxiety-related symptoms—such as excessive worry, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating—from cognitive impairment or dementia. This distinction is critical, as anxiety symptoms may mimic memory loss or confusion, potentially leading to inaccurate assumptions about cognitive decline. Using structured tools grounded in DSM criteria supports ethical and informed assessment practices while preserving the dignity and worth of older clients (Brandell, 2020).

Despite its strengths, the Severity Measure for Generalized Anxiety Disorder—Adult has limitations. The tool relies on self-report, which may be influenced by sensory impairments, limited insight, or cultural stigma surrounding mental health in older generations. Some elderly clients may minimize symptoms or have difficulty interpreting Likert-scale responses. Additionally, somatic symptoms common in aging—such as fatigue or sleep disturbance—may overlap with anxiety symptoms, requiring careful interpretation within the broader biopsychosocial assessment framework (Brandell, 2020).

Two common mental health diagnoses associated with the elderly and aging population are Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder. While this tool is not diagnostic, it assists in identifying the severity and presence of anxiety symptoms consistent with GAD, thereby informing referrals for further evaluation or treatment. It may also help distinguish anxiety-related distress from depressive symptoms, which frequently co-occur in older adults (Tampi & Tampi, 2020). When used alongside clinical judgment, collateral information, and environmental context, this assessment tool supports ethical, accurate, and person-centered social work practice.

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References

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Online assessment measures. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/educational-resources/assessment-measures

Brandell, J. R. (Ed.). (2020). Theory & practice in clinical social work (3rd ed.). Cognella.

Tampi, R. R., & Tampi, D. J. (2020). The most prevalent psychiatric disorder in older adults. Psychiatric Times, 37(7), 44–45.

 

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