Students in the master’s program visit residents at seven Hartford-based senior residences, offering screenings for memory loss and depression, medicine management, and other mental health outreach services. The program is in its third year and contacted 950 people.

The initiative especially targets minority elderly who for cultural reasons may hesitate to seek help for depression and other issues. University officials claim it is the only such program in the nation.

“Some of the people are skeptical, they wonder what our hidden agenda is,” student Chris Parker said. “People prey on these folks. They’re a vulnerable population. But when they see that we deliver what we said we would, they’re initially surprised, and then they want us to come back.”

To read the full story on UConn Today click here.

To learn more about how social workers help the elderly visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Seniors & Aging section by clicking here.

Photo: University of Connecticut social work students visit residents at Mary Mahoney Village in Hartford. Photo courtesy of  UConn Today.