Healthy IDEAS (Identifying Depression & Empowering Activities for Seniors) is an evidence-based program designed to detect depression and reduce the severity of depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults. Healthy IDEAS brings together community service providers, the mental/behavioral health community and healthcare practitioners to achieve significant benefits for older adults and their families. Program implementation should be based on your agency’s desire to offer an evidence- based self-management program to address symptoms of depression in your community-dwelling older adult clients.

Organizations that provide case management or care coordination services to community-dwelling older adults are best suited to implement the Healthy IDEAS program. Case management functions may be performed by persons with different titles, including care coordinator, care manager, caregiver support specialist, and services coordinator, to name a few. Case management may also be part of another service provided to individuals. Successful program delivery requires organizations to serve clients through contact in the home and by phone over a period of at least three to six months. Collaborating with local mental or behavioral health providers is also important.