December 11, 2024
PEARLS: Promoting healthy aging and equity through mental health support for older adults
The Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) was highlighted in a recent Issue Brief from the Prevention Research Center Network. Issue briefs summarize key findings, recommendations, and implications of research conducted by various PRCs. They typically focus on specific public health issues or topics, providing evidence-based insights and actionable information for policymakers, public health professionals, and other stakeholders. This Issue Brief focuses on promoting healthy aging by addressing chronic conditions and cognitive health.
PEARLS educates older adults about depression and helps them develop the skills they need to lead more active and independent lives. Designed with community input, PEARLS expands access to mental health services for underserved older adults without requiring a diagnosis. PEARLS Equity, an expansion of PEARLS, aims to increase access to depression care for older adults who experience poverty, belong to racial and ethnic minority groups, speak a language other than English, or live in rural areas. To learn more about PEARLS and its impact from PEARLS participants, coaches, and researchers, click the link below.