Megan Soukup and Jennifer Napier spoke to the Stryker Rotary Club about the services provided by the Maumee Valley Guidance Center. Megan and Jennifer are assigned to the Defiance and Williams county area.
Their services are all provided on an outpatient basis and include primary care. Clients range from children to the elderly, providing treatment for both mental and physical problems. A newer program offer by the center is called Healthy Ideas. The focus of the program is to identify and treat depression in older adults. The program includes screening, an education portion, along with treatment. They also refer clients for more specialized treatment when required. Depression is common among older adults and seems to increase during the winter months and around holiday seasons. Keeping the person active is one of many treatments to alleviate the symptoms of depression.
They said, “We identify hobbies or activities that the client enjoys and work with them to participate in those activities. Many older adults exhibit signs of depression but do not recognize they are suffering with the condition.”