PEARLS Program Expands to Veterans and Spouses of Veterans

Andrea Yip, ADS Planner

PEARLS—to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors

PEARLS is an in-home counseling program that teaches depression management techniques to older adults experiencing minor depression. Depression, even minor depression, is known to have a profound impact on the quality of life of older adults, their ability to live independently, and on life longevity. Persons afflicted with depression are less likely to follow doctor’s orders, treatment guidelines, or engage in healthy practices to manage chronic health problems. 

The PEARLS program consists of eight in-home counseling sessions which are provided over a period of five months, followed by three monthly follow-up phone calls. 

PEARLS has three basic components:

• problem-solving treatment
• social and physical activation
• pleasant activity scheduling

These three elements work together to empower participants by encouraging them to engage in behaviors that help them reach their goals.

PEARLS is implemented through the Seattle Human Services Department, Aging and Disability Services (ADS). ADS has two counselors working with case management clients 50 and older who are low income, have chronic health conditions, and have minor depression.

New Changes

With funding from the King County Human Services and Veterans Levy, ADS has added an additional counselor and will facilitate the expansion of PEARLS further into the community through two partnerships with Catholic Community Services, African American Elders Program (AAEP) and International Drop-In Center (IDIC). Both agencies have strong ties to communities of color and veteran organizations.

AAEP will recruit potential PEARLS participants in Seattle and South King County through their network of African American Churches, health clinics, community groups, and veteran organizations. AAEP has a specialized program that provides culturally relevant case management service coordination, health education, support and referral.

IDIC is a Filipino senior services center that has experience recruiting and serving clients in the Pacific Asian community of King County. IDIC has many strong partnerships with veteran organizations.

How to Access

Have you been feeling down or blue?

Have you lost interest in doing things?

If you or a loved one has answered yes to one of the above and meet the following criteria, then you may be eligible for PEARLS:

• King County resident age 55 and older
• Have chronic health condition
• Are low income
• Are a U.S. veteran or spouse of a veteran

Contact Mary Pat O’Leary, ADS PEARLS Program Supervisor at (206) 684-0683 or marypat.oleary@seattle.gov

For More Information
 
Learn about the  Healthy Aging Summit. Lifting the Clouds: Addressing Depression in Older Adults, presented by the Washington Alliance for Healthy Aging.     

See also this research article on the PEARLS Program, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, April 2004.
 
The PEARLS Project website includes information about the project, and background materials about depression in older adults. More information about "problem solving therapy" will also be available at a later date.

The King County Human Services and Veterans Levy website offers general information on the levy, such as a background, procurement plans, and citizen board activity.

See “PEARLS Fights Depression” in the October 2004 issue of Seniors Digest.