The Assessment And Treatment Of Older Adults

This book shows mental health providers how to expand their practice in order to treat older adults.

Learn about the key issues when assessing and treating older adults with mental health problems: Expert guidance through the key topics Highlights the best assessment and treatment practices Addresses diversity, ethical, and health system issues Full of real-life case examples Resources in the appendix to test your knowledge More about the book Mental health practitioners are encountering an ever-growing number of older adults and so an up-to-date and comprehensive text addressing the special considerations that arise in the psychological assessment and treatment of this population is vital. This accessible handbook does just that by introducing the key topics that psychologists and other health professionals face when working with older adults. Each area is introduced and then the special considerations for older adults are explored, including specific ethical and healthcare system issues. The use of case examples brings the topics further to life. An important feature of the book is the interweaving of diversity issues (culture, race, sexuality, etc.) within the text to lend an inclusive, contemporary insight into these important practice components. The Pikes Peak Geropsychology Knowledge and Skill Assessment Tool is included in an appendix so readers can test their knowledge, which will be helpful for those aiming for board certification in geropsychology (ABGERO). This an ideal text for mental health professionals transitioning to work with older clients, for those wanting to improve their knowledge for their regular practice, and for trainees or young clinicians just starting out.

"Due to improvements in health and healthcare, the elderly population is expanding rapidly within the developed world. However, more and more elderly people require some form of psychological support at some point in their later years. The types of problems faced by this population are quite distinct and often more complex than those faced by younger adults, and throw up many new challenges - in both assessment and treatment. Within this book Knight and Pachana argue that psychological assessment needs to be more tightly integrated with therapy, especially with older adult clients. Using the Contextual Adult Lifespan Theory for Adapting Psychotherapy (CALTAP) as a framework for applying our knowledge about developmental, social contextual, and cohort/generational factors that influence age differences in response to psychological assessment and therapy, they present an integrated framework for psychological assessment and therapy with older adults."--Publisher's website.

Illustrated with abundant clinical material, this book provides essential knowledge and skills for effective mental health practice with older adults. It demonstrates how to evaluate and treat frequently encountered clinical problems in this population, including dementias, mood and anxiety disorders, and paranoid symptoms. Strategies are presented for implementing psychosocial interventions and integrating them with medications. The book also describes insightful approaches for supporting family caregivers and addresses the nuts and bolts of consulting in institutional settings. Combining their expertise as a researcher and an experienced clinician, the authors offer a unique perspective on the challenges facing older adults and how to help them lead more fulfilling and independent lives. Three reproducible forms can also be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

This Third Edition of the bestselling Psychotherapy with Older Adults continues to offer students and professionals a thorough overview of psychotherapy with older adults. Using the contextual, cohort-based, maturity, specific challenge (CCMSC) model, it draws upon findings from scientific gerontology and life-span developmental psychology to describe how psychotherapy needs to be adapted for work with older adults, as well as when it is similar to therapeutic work with younger adults. Sensitively linking both research and experience, author Bob G. Knight provides a practical account of the knowledge, technique, and skills necessary to work with older adults in a therapeutic relationship. This volume considers the essentials of gerontology as well as the nature of therapy in depth, focusing on special content areas and common themes. Psychotherapy with Older Adults includes a comprehensive discussion of assessment and options for intervention. Numerous case examples illustrate the dynamics of the therapeutic task and issues covered in therapy and stress the human element in working with older adults. A concluding chapter considers ethical questions and the future of psychotherapy with older adults. The author has updated the Third Edition to reflect new research findings and has written two entirely new chapters covering psychotherapy with persons with dementia and psychotherapy with caregivers of frail older adults. Since its initial publication in 1986, the book has been used as a course text and a professional reference around the world, including translations into French, Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese. It is a vital resource for practicing therapists and counselors who work with older adults and is also ideally suited as a text for advanced students in psychology, social work, gerontology, and nursing. Praise for Previous Editions: "Bob G. Knight′s largest contribution is his excellent discussion of therapy. The book is clearly written, with a good use of summaries and case examples to clarify the major points. By linking research findings to practice experience, Knight has provided a pragmatic introduction which should be helpful to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses working with older adults." —JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY "I recommend this book to anyone interested in working with the elderly, partly because of the content and partly because the author presents the case for doing psychotherapy with the elderly with realism and enthusiasm." —BEHAVIOR RESEARCH & THERAPY

A practical guide to providing home-based mental health services, Providing Home Care for Older Adults teaches readers how to handle the unique aspects of home-based care and apply and adapt evidence-based assessment and treatment within the home-based setting. Featuring contributions from experienced, board-certified home care psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists, the book explains the multifaceted role of a home-based provider, offers concrete and practical considerations for working within the home, and highlights adaptations to specific evidence-based methods used in treating homebound older adults. Also covered are special topics related to hoarding, safety, capacity evaluations, caregivers, case management, and use of technology. Each chapter includes engaging case examples with practical tips that illustrate what it is like to work in this new and exciting frontier. Psychologists, counselors, and other mental health practitioners in home settings will be able to use this guide to provide effective home-based care to older adults.

This open access book provides a comprehensive perspective on the concept of ageism, its origins, the manifestation and consequences of ageism, as well as ways to respond to and research ageism. The book represents a collaborative effort of researchers from over 20 countries and a variety of disciplines, including, psychology, sociology, gerontology, geriatrics, pharmacology, law, geography, design, engineering, policy and media studies. The contributors have collaborated to produce a truly stimulating and educating book on ageism which brings a clear overview of the state of the art in the field. The book serves as a catalyst to generate research, policy and public interest in the field of ageism and to reconstruct the image of old age and will be of interest to researchers and students in gerontology and geriatrics.

Evidence Based Treatment with Older Adults: Theory, Practice, and Research provides a detailed examination of five research-supported psychosocial interventions for use with older adults: cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, life review/reminiscence, problem solving therapy, and psychoeducational/social support approaches. These interventions address the diversity of mental health conditions and late-life challenges that older adults and their family members experience. Detailed explanations of the approaches, skills, and strategies employed in each intervention are provided, as are adaptions for use of the interventions with older adults. Vignettes are also used to demonstrate the use of specific practice skills and techniques with older clients. The theory undergirding each approach and the historical development of the interventions is explained, and provides the reader with a rich understanding of background and context of each therapy. In addition, the distinct issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse/misuse for which evidence exists are highlighted. Research support for application of the interventions in community-based, acute care, and long-term care settings and in individual and group formats is also discussed. Finally, implementation issues encountered in therapeutic work with older adults are described as are accommodations to enhance treatment efficacy. In sum, this book provides a comprehensive overview of evidence based psychosocial interventions for older adults; it is ideal for students and mental health professionals interested in clinical work with older adults and their families.

Grounded in extensive research, this book outlines a deliberative process in the psychosocial care of older adults, both in terms of assessment and treatment. It is a clinical undertaking with academic emphasis on the real life needs of older adults, and even considers current meta-trends of health. The world of aging has changed. Data now clearly suggest that older age is replete with exciting complexities that can be unpacked and changed. Specifically, the book articulates a Watch and Wait model of care espousing a plan for the modal problems of later life. Five domains are presented as a sufficient understanding of a case: general health, cognition, depression, anxiety, and life adjustment. Importantly, assessment is considered first in each domain and a profile for each patient is provided as a result. The text also discusses the role of personality in later life. Empirically supported interventions are then provided in each area. This book is intended for health care professionals, as well as academics who work with this population. Older age is changing and a newer model of care is necessary.

New trends in mental healthcare practice and a rapid increase in the aged population are causing an explosion in the fields of clinical gerontology and geropsychology today. This comprehensive second edition handbook offers clinicians and graduate students clear guidelines and reliable tools for assessing general mental health, cognitive functioning, functional age, psychosocial health, comorbidity, behavior deficits, and more. Psychopathology, behavioral disorders, changes in cognition, and changes in everyday functioning are addressed in full, and a wide range of conditions and disorders common to this patient population are covered. Each chapter provides an empirical review of assessment instruments, assessment scales in their totality, a review of how these instruments are used with and adapted for different cultural groups, illustration of assessments through case studies, and information on how to utilize ongoing assessment in treatment and/or treatment planning. This combination of elements will make the volume the definitive assessment source for clinicians working with elderly patients. The most comprehensive source of up-to-date data on gerontological assessment, with review articles covering: psychopathology, behavioral disorders, changes in cognition, and changes in everyday functioning Consolidates broadly distributed literature into single source, saving researchers and clinicians time in obtaining and translating information and improving the level of further research and care they can provide Chapters directly address the range of conditions and disorders most common for this patient population - i.e. driving ability, mental competency, sleep, nutrition, sexual functioning, demntias, elder abuse, depression, anxiety disorders, etc Fully informs readers regarding conditions most commonly encountered in real world treatment of an elderly patient population Each chapter cites case studies to illustrate assessment techniques Exposes reader to real-world application of each assessment discussed