Geriatric Mental Health Care

This book provides practical, up-to-the-minute information and tools for clinicians working with older adults. A roster of expert authors offers the most practical clinical and research insights across the most relevant, frequently encountered diagnostic and treatment problems. Each chapter is organized in a logical, easy-to-follow structure tha

Through detailed discussion of inpatient geriatric psychiatry, telehealth models of care, health staff concerns, and social determinants of health, as well as nonclinical factors that affect the broader clinical effort, Geriatric Mental Health Care provides techniques that health care providers can use to overcome the challenges of the current pandemic-and prepare for the next one.

At least 5.6 million to 8 million-nearly one in five-older adults in America have one or more mental health and substance use conditions, which present unique challenges for their care. With the number of adults age 65 and older projected to soar from 40.3 million in 2010 to 72.1 million by 2030, the aging of America holds profound consequences for the nation. For decades, policymakers have been warned that the nation's health care workforce is ill-equipped to care for a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse population. In the specific disciplines of mental health and substance use, there have been similar warnings about serious workforce shortages, insufficient workforce diversity, and lack of basic competence and core knowledge in key areas. Following its 2008 report highlighting the urgency of expanding and strengthening the geriatric health care workforce, the IOM was asked by the Department of Health and Human Services to undertake a complementary study on the geriatric mental health and substance use workforce. The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands? assesses the needs of this population and the workforce that serves it. The breadth and magnitude of inadequate workforce training and personnel shortages have grown to such proportions, says the committee, that no single approach, nor a few isolated changes in disparate federal agencies or programs, can adequately address the issue. Overcoming these challenges will require focused and coordinated action by all.

The Handbook of Mental Health and Aging, Third Edition provides a foundational background for practitioners and researchers to understand mental health care in older adults as presented by leading experts in the field. Wherever possible, chapters integrate research into clinical practice. The book opens with conceptual factors, such as the epidemiology of mental health disorders in aging and cultural factors that impact mental health. The book transitions into neurobiological-based topics such as biomarkers, age-related structural changes in the brain, and current models of accelerated aging in mental health. Clinical topics include dementia, neuropsychology, psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, mood disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, sleep disorders, and substance abuse. The book closes with current and future trends in geriatric mental health, including the brain functional connectome, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), technology-based interventions, and treatment innovations. Identifies factors influencing mental health in older adults Includes biological, sociological, and psychological factors Reviews epidemiology of different mental health disorders Supplies separate chapters on grief, schizophrenia, mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders Discusses biomarkers and genetics of mental health and aging Provides assessment and treatment approaches

As the population ages, increasing numbers of older people require the attention and services of mental health professionals. Despite their prevalence, however, mental health problems in this population often go undiagnosed and therefore untreated. This textbook offers medical students and professionals the information they need to care for older people with mental disorders. Drs. Donna Cohen and Carl Eisdorfer, two internationally recognized experts in geriatric mental health, provide a comprehensive framework within which students and practitioners alike can address the salient issues of the field. These include the biopsychosocial aging processes, specific pathologies prevalent in later life, social issues common to the elderly, the delivery of care in various settings, and the economic policies affecting services for older people. The authors’ goal is not only to enhance clinical practice but also to urge physicians to develop and coordinate a more holistic care strategy that acknowledges the complex challenges of older patients. To this end, Cohen and Eisdorfer discuss essential principles of optimal care, the latest research findings, evidence- and consensus-based practice standards, resources to help professionals keep abreast of the changing mental health landscape, and ethical dilemmas of clinical practice and research. The signal strength of this book lies in its integrated approach, an approach that emphasizes the philosophy and principles of caring for older people along with clinical practices and issues. From this broader perspective, the authors describe the many factors that influence the lives, health, and well-being of older patients and their caregivers, making this an ideal text for psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers.

"Geriatric Mental Health Care addresses the disproportionate impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on older adults with mental illness. Topics covered include inpatient geriatric psychiatry during a pandemic, telehealth models of care, health care staff concerns, and social determinants of health. The authors also explore the pandemic's effects on research and the economy, analyzing the impact of nonclinical factors on the broader clinical care effort. Geriatric Mental Health Care provides techniques that health care providers can use to overcome the challenges of the current pandemic-and prepare for the next one"--

This essential guide is designed for mental health practitioners and primary care providers without advanced training in geriatric psychiatry. Gary J. Kennedy sets forth a clear framework for understanding the interplay of medical, psychological, and social factors in frequently encountered problems among older adults. Clear guidelines are delineated for assessing and treating such conditions as depression and anxiety, dementia, psychosis and mania, sleep disturbances, personality and somatoform disorders, substance abuse, and suicidality. Throughout, the book focuses on ways to sustain seniors' independence and overall quality of life while enhancing their adaptive capacities. Winner--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award (2000) See also the author's Geriatric Depression: A Clinical Guide, which distills the best available interventions for depression in older adults in a highly accessible format.

This book offers mental health guidelines for all medical professionals facing the emerging challenges presented by an aging population worldwide. The text acknowledges that as the geriatric demographic grows, limited resources and infrastructures demand quality protocols to deliver inpatient geriatric psychiatric care, and that many physicians may not be trained to address these specific needs. This text fills this gap with guidelines assessing, diagnosing, and treating aging patients as they present in the emergency room and other settings. Unlike any other text, this book focuses on how to optimize the use of the inpatient setting by recommending evaluations and treatments, and offering flow-charts and figures of key points, to guide both general workup and continued evaluation and treatment. This approach aims to minimize instances of premature release or readmissions and to improve outcomes. Chapters cover the various issues that clinicians face when working with an older patient, including legal topics, limitations to treatment, prescription-related complications, patients struggling with substance abuse, and various behavioral concerns. Written by experts in the field, the text takes a multidisciplinary approach to deliver high-quality care as needs of the aging population evolve. Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry is a vital resource for all clinicians working with an aging population, including geriatricians, psychiatrists, neurologists, primary care providers, hospitalists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, emergency room and geriatric nurses, social workers, and trainees.