Which mental health client is a candidate for treatment in a community-based setting?

• A. A 24 year-old male who has made a suicide attempt.
• B. A 65 year-old woman in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease.
• C. A 14 year-old anorexic girl who has lost 6 lbs while treated at home.
• D. A 45 year-old male being treated for depression and no longer gets out of bed.

Answer: (B)

Community-based care fits best for someone who can live safely at home with support and access to community resources. An older adult in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease typically remains independent enough to function with caregiver assistance, safety measures, and services such as home health visits, memory care routines, and day programs. She can be monitored, helped with medications and daily activities, and kept in a familiar environment, which aligns well with community-based management.

The other scenarios raise concerns that usually require higher levels of care. A suicide attempt signals acute risk that needs crisis stabilization and inpatient or intensive treatment. Severe depression with the person not getting out of bed suggests significant functional impairment and potential safety risks, often needing closer supervision and more intensive intervention. The adolescent with anorexia who has already begun weight loss at home may be medically unstable or require close medical monitoring; however, without more detail on stability, the clearly lower-risk, home-support model is most appropriate for the older adult with early-stage dementia.