A STRENGTHS PERSPECTIVE IN PRACTICE - OLDER-PEOPLE AND MENTAL-HEALTH CHALLENGES

Most discussions of problems of older people focus on their deficits. This article presents a strengths perspective for working with older p eople. When working with older people who have mental health challenge s, building on strengths is accomplished by focusing on the common thr ead of survivorship, and examining how people live, and sometimes thri ve, in an oppressive environment. Despite a growing interest in the st rengths perspective, writings in this area have emphasized the general population, but have not explored the particular needs of older adult s with mental health challenges.