LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• What key areas are included in a multidimensional approach to assessment?
• What factors influence the assessment of adults?
• How are mental health issues assessed?
• What are some major considerations for therapy across adulthood?
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uan is a 76-year-old World War II veteran who lives in California. Over the past year, his wife, Rocio, has noticed that Juan’s memory isn’t quite as sharp as it used to be; Juan also has less energy, stays home more, and does not show as much interest in playing dominos, a game at which he excels. Rocio wonders what might be wrong with Juan.
Many adults can relate to Rocio because they are concerned about someone they know. Whether the person is 25 or 85, it is important to be able to determine whether memory problems, energy loss, social withdrawal, or other areas of concern really indicate an underlying problem. As you might suspect, health care professionals should not use
identical approaches to assess and treat adults of widely different ages. In this section, we consider how assessment methods and therapies must take developmental differences into account.