Aging is not just something for people 65 and older to think about.

"It's universal," said Rodger McDaniel, deputy director of the mental health and substance abuse division of the Wyoming Department of Health. "Aging is not something that happens to someone else."

Serving the elderly population presents many challenges for a state.

Dealing with mental illness and substance abuse among the elderly has its own set of unique problems, McDaniel said during a conference in Casper Tuesday.

The two-day conference, which ends today, dealt with what could be done to help older adults in Wyoming who struggle with those issues.

Older adults are much less likely to seek services for mental health than younger adults because of the stigma.

Carol Day, facility services coordinator at the health department, said older adults think if you have a mental illness, you are "crazy."

"It's a generational thing," Day said. "It is seen as a weakness to accept services."

It could be helpful to put mental health services where older adults feel more comfortable, such as churches or senior centers, McDaniel said.

Meals on Wheels in both Cheyenne and Casper have put some of their drivers through training to learn how to recognize signs of depression and suicide, Day said.

"We need nontraditional ways to reach older adults," she said.

The elderly deal with certain issues that might heighten anxiety or depression including the loss of a spouse, retirement, loss of independence and serious medical problems.

Robert Hill, a psychologist from Utah, spoke to health care providers about how they can help their clients age well.

He said activities such as volunteering or keeping a gratitude journal could help older adults with mental illness.

"Volunteering is really good stuff no matter what your motivation is," Hill said.

Because self-reporting in older adults is problematic, Hill gave several assessment tools to help determine if an elderly person might be suffering from a mental illness.

The Legislature gave the health department money to provide clinical training to people who work with the elderly population to recognize mental health problems and begin the treatment process. Training those who work with older adults is the first of seven goals the mental health and substance abuse division has set.

Another recommendation deals with developing long-term care options for older adults with psychiatric disorders. Day said the geriatrics unit at the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston is full.

Wyoming needs more facilities that can address both the mental health and serious medical needs of this population.

Tonja Woods, a professor of pharmacy at the University of Wyoming, discussed how medications can alter the mental status of an elderly person. The average number of prescription drugs taken daily by an older adult is about 13, she said.

"Depression is not a normal process of aging," Woods said. "Yet, it affects about 20 percent of the aging population."

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.