Williamsburg, Va. – A sad reality is that many military veterans suffer from depression and anxiety that can lead to social isolation and poor quality of life.
Today, thanks to a state funded grant, military veterans on the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck can now access and enroll in Healthy IDEAS, an innovative program that aims to change that by ensuring veterans have the help they need to live full lives.
The program is offered to veterans through a partnership between Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance, Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health (CEALH) and Bay Aging.
Healthy IDEAS (Identifying Depression & Empowering Activities for Seniors) is an evidence-based program that integrates awareness and management services. Originally focused on older adults, the program is now also available to military veterans at no cost, thanks to a state funded grant.
Each program session lasts 90 days. A coach meets with the veteran or a veteran’s caregiver in their home or via telehealth several times over the course of the program and provides additional follow-up phone calls to monitor progress.
The Healthy IDEAS program aims to improve quality of life by:
- Screening for symptoms of depression and assessing their severity.
- Educating Veterans and caregivers about depression.
- Linking Veterans to primary care and mental health providers.
- Empowering Veterans to manage their depressive symptoms through a behavioral activation approach that encourages involvement in meaningful activities.
- Assessing clients’ progress.
For more information and to register, contact Bay Aging at (804) 493-0238.