When he was in his late 80s, Candy Cohn's father unintentionally stopped taking medication for a long-standing bipolar disorder and experienced a significant mental health crisis requiring hospitalization and intensive treatment. It was following this episode that Candy knew that she needed to help her older parents find a senior living community that would provide more continuity and medication management and offer opportunities for a better quality of life than they were getting at home. But, where to start?

In today's episode, I interview, Candy Cohn, a Certified Senior Advisor, who help families find senior living and has developed a specialty for helping people living with mental health concerns find senior housing, starting with her own dad.

Here's a peak inside my interview with Candy Cohn:

• [04:46] Candy describes different types of senior living communities, from independent living to assisted living to memory care.
• [20:48] Learn why it can be helpful to work with a Senor Living Advisor when looking for housing options for your older loved ones.
• [25:10] Candy shares her personal experience of looking for senior living communities following her dad's hospitalization in his late 80's due to a mental health crisis.
• [32:20] Taking medication consistently helps many people with mental health conditions maintain emotional stability and improve their quality of life. Learn more about medication management in senior living here.
• [38:21] There are some barriers for folks with mental health conditions moving into senior living communities. One of them being stigma. Candy and I share personal stories of mental health stigma.
• [51:38] After helping many older adults with mental health conditions move into senior living communities, Candy shares recommendations for families who are living with mental health conditions who are looking for senior living community
• [55:56] Serving as a liaison between families with mental health conditions and senior living communities, Candy also offers recommendations for senior living communities  including folks with mental health concerns.

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Click here to visit the show notes page to learn more.


Join the movement to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults: 

• With the Psychology of Aging podcast, my mission is to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults, to improve access to mental health care for older adults, and to create a space that is inclusive of all older adults. 
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