| Course | SWG 571 Mental Health Aspects of Aging |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 7 |
| Paper type | Clinical assessment paper |
| Length | About 819 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Master of Social Work |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for SWG 571 Module 7
More Than Grief: An Initial Assessment of a Widowed Older Man With Depression and Risk
Student Name
Master of Social Work, Arizona State University
SWG 571: Mental Health Aspects of Aging
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
More Than Grief: An Initial Assessment of a Widowed Older Man With Depression and Risk
The Case (Illustrative)
Harold, a 78-year-old retired machinist, lives alone in Mesa, Arizona. Ten months ago he lost his wife of 51 years; he had nursed her at home through a long decline. His daughter, who lives in Tucson, called a senior services agency because Harold has stopped attending church and the senior center, has lost about eight pounds in three months, sleeps four hours a night and drinks three or four beers every evening, which he did not do before. His medical history includes type 2 diabetes, hypertension and hearing loss. He has missed two medical appointments and says he "can't keep anything straight anymore." He owns two hunting rifles. When asked how he is doing, he says, "What's the point? Everybody I care about is gone or busy."
What Appears to Be the Primary Problem?
The primary problem appears to be a depressive episode that began after his wife's death and has grown beyond expected grief. Grief alone would not usually explain the combination of persistent hopelessness, withdrawal from all previous activities, weight loss and insomnia lasting months. Hinrichsen (2020) notes that depression in older adults is often missed because sadness is assumed to be a normal part of aging or loss; it is not.
What Factors Complicate This Case?
Several factors interact. Social isolation is significant: he lives alone, his daughter is two hours away and he has dropped his church and senior center. His new evening drinking may be self-medication and can worsen both mood and sleep. Hearing loss makes conversation tiring and may increase withdrawal. His diabetes and blood pressure require self-care that depression undermines, and the missed appointments suggest that his health is already slipping. His memory complaints could reflect depression, alcohol, poor sleep, a medical cause or an early neurocognitive disorder. Culturally, men of his generation may be reluctant to describe emotional distress or seek mental health care, which can delay help.
What Symptoms Are Most Concerning?
The most concerning feature is suicide risk. He is an older man, recently widowed, living alone, drinking more, voicing hopelessness and keeping firearms in the home. Suicide rates in the United States are highest among men age 75 and older, at 43.9 deaths per 100,000 in 2022 (Garnett & Curtin, 2024). His statement "What's the point?" requires direct questions about suicidal thoughts, intent and plans, and his access to firearms must be addressed in the first contact. The weight loss, insomnia and new cognitive complaints are also concerning because each could signal a worsening medical or psychiatric condition.
| Risk factor | Present in Harold's case |
|---|---|
| Male, age 75 or older | Yes |
| Recent loss of spouse | Yes, ten months ago |
| Lives alone, socially withdrawn | Yes |
| Increased alcohol use | Yes, three to four drinks nightly |
| Hopelessness | Yes, "What's the point?" |
| Access to lethal means | Yes, two rifles at home |
What Are the Client's Strengths?
Harold has real strengths. He cared for his wife for years, which shows commitment and capacity. His daughter is concerned and involved. He has a long history of church and senior center participation, so reconnecting is possible. He worked for decades as a skilled machinist and may respond to practical, problem-focused help. He answered questions honestly, which suggests he may engage with a worker he trusts.
What More Is Needed for a Comprehensive Assessment?
A comprehensive assessment would add a structured suicide risk screening using the Columbia scale for suicide severity, which has shown validity in identifying suicidal ideation and behavior (Posner et al., 2011); a depression measure designed for older adults, such as the Geriatric Depression Scale (Yesavage et al., 1982); an alcohol screen such as the AUDIT-C (Bush et al., 1998); and a cognitive screen such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Nasreddine et al., 2005), ideally repeated after his mood and drinking improve. A medical evaluation should rule out causes of weight loss and cognitive change, review his medications and check his diabetes control. A hearing assessment, a home safety review and a fuller social history, including his own and his family's history of depression and his wishes about the firearms, would complete the picture.
Tentative Diagnosis
As a working hypothesis, Harold meets DSM-5-TR criteria for a moderate major depressive episode, single episode, (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Prolonged grief disorder is not yet applicable, since it requires at least 12 months after the death for adults, but it should be reconsidered if grief symptoms persist. Rule-outs include alcohol use disorder, pending the AUDIT-C and history, and mild neurocognitive disorder, pending cognitive screening once depression is treated. This diagnosis is a working hypothesis for practice, not a final determination.
Conclusion
Harold's case shows how grief, isolation, alcohol, hearing loss and chronic illness can combine into late-life depression with serious risk. The first step is safety, followed by standardized screening and medical evaluation that will shape the treatment plan.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Bush, K., Kivlahan, D. R., McDonell, M. B., Fihn, S. D., & Bradley, K. A. (1998). The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C): An effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Archives of Internal Medicine, 158(16), 1789-1795. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.158.16.1789
Garnett, M. F., & Curtin, S. C. (2024). Suicide mortality in the United States, 2002-2022 (NCHS Data Brief No. 509). National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db509.htm
Hinrichsen, G. A. (2020). Assessment and treatment of older adults: A guide for mental health professionals. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000146-000
Nasreddine, Z. S., Phillips, N. A., Bédirian, V., Charbonneau, S., Whitehead, V., Collin, I., Cummings, J. L., & Chertkow, H. (2005). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: A brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(4), 695-699. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
Posner, K., Brown, G. K., Stanley, B., Brent, D. A., Yershova, K. V., Oquendo, M. A., Currier, G. W., Melvin, G. A., Greenhill, L., Shen, S., & Mann, J. J. (2011). The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale: Initial validity and internal consistency findings from three multisite studies with adolescents and adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(12), 1266-1277. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10111704
Yesavage, J. A., Brink, T. L., Rose, T. L., Lum, O., Huang, V., Adey, M., & Leirer, V. O. (1982). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17(1), 37-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(82)90033-4
What the SWG 571 Module 7 instructions ask for
Worth 25 points, the SWG 571 Assessment Paper closes Week 4, which pairs Module 7, Clinical Assessment, with Module 8, Introduction to Intervention and Treatment. Select one of the case studies posted in Canvas and complete an initial assessment that answers six questions: what appears to be the primary problem, what factors complicate the case, which symptoms concern you most, what the client's strengths are, what more you need to know to complete a comprehensive assessment and what your tentative diagnosis is. Consider cognitive and communication deficits, social support, access to resources, substance misuse, family dynamics, physical health and cultural barriers. You will reuse the same case for the Intervention and Treatment Plan Paper.
Inside the SWG 571 Module 7 example
The sample presents the case first, labeled illustrative, then answers the six required questions under their own headings so a grader can find each one. The primary problem section distinguishes depression from expected grief. Complicating factors are treated as interacting rather than listed. The most concerning symptoms section prioritizes suicide risk with national data and a risk-factor table. Strengths are specific to the client. The missing-information section names validated screening tools with sources. The diagnosis section gives a DSM-5-TR working diagnosis, explains why prolonged grief disorder does not yet apply and lists rule-outs. Margin notes explain the choices. Harold is an invented client; the real course cases are not public. Each heading mirrors one of the prompt's six questions.
Where the marks sit in the SWG 571 Module 7 rubric
Graders scoring the 25-point Assessment Paper check that all six questions are answered, that the primary problem is clearly identified, that complicating factors reflect the full range the prompt lists and that the tentative diagnosis is reasoned rather than asserted. Papers lose points for overlooking safety concerns, for listing strengths that are generic, for vague statements about needing "more information" without naming what or how and for diagnoses that ignore rule-outs. Because the course practices the diagnostic process, explaining why a diagnosis fits, and what would change it, earns more credit than certainty. Using recognized screening tools and current DSM-5-TR terms strengthens the assessment. Clear headings that match the six questions make the paper easy to grade.
SWG 571 Module 7 help: mistakes that cost marks
Read the case once for Harold's story and a second time with a highlighter for risk factors. List every risk factor you see before writing. Answer each prompt question under its own heading. Address suicide risk directly whenever there are warning signs. Name specific screening tools and say what each would add. Give strengths that belong to this client, not to everyone. Offer a tentative diagnosis with rule-outs. If the diagnostic criteria feel confusing, the desk can review them with you. Keep notes, since the treatment plan builds on this paper. Write the diagnosis section last, after the evidence is laid out.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More SWG 571 and Master of Social Work sample papers
- SWG 571 Module 12: Intervention and Treatment Plan Paper: Three Interventions for a Widowed Older Man
- SWG 632 Module 2: Field Placement Ethical Dilemma Case Study: A Sobriety Rule at a Shelter
- SWG 623 Module 2: Logic Model Assignment: A Family-Strengthening Program at a Phoenix Family Center
- SWG 573 Module 3: Advocacy Project Reflection: Asking a Legislator to Protect Home-Delivered Meals
SWG 571 Module 7 questions, answered
Where can I find a free SWG 571 Module 7 sample paper?
The full initial assessment of an older widower with depression and suicide risk is on this page.
What questions does the SWG 571 Assessment Paper answer?
The primary problem, complicating factors, concerning symptoms, strengths, missing information and a tentative diagnosis.
Which age group has the highest suicide rate in the United States?
Men age 75 and older, at 43.9 per 100,000 in 2022.
Which screening tools suit older adults?
The Geriatric Depression Scale, the AUDIT-C, the MoCA and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, among others.
When can prolonged grief disorder be diagnosed in adults?
At least 12 months after the death, under DSM-5-TR.