Psychological Treatment of Older Adults: A Holistic Model

This text emphasises an interdisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of older adults. It highlights a whole person model of care rather than assessing and treating symptoms or syndromes in isolation. The emphasis is both research-based and clinically-practical, emphasising five core factors of psychosocial impairment in older adults--depression, anxiety, cognitive deficits, adjustment or life problems, and health issues. These provide an understanding of the older adult likely to result in successful outcomes for common syndromes or problems at later life. In this effort the transdiagnostic approach to psychological health care is advocated.

Importantly, the book describes the unique components and complex interactive influences of these five factors as they apply to older adults seeking mental health. The key involves a deliberative Watch and Wait model where treatment is based on careful case-based assessment and a considered monitoring for before and during empirically supported interventions. This model trumps the usual fix-em-up, shoot-from-the-hip interventions, seeking quick cures. Each factor is addressed from its empirical supported basis as applied to older adults, as well as its interaction with the other factors. Distinct treatment modules are isolated for each factor and reasonable pathways to clinical problems are provided. The text addresses the unique difficulties of diagnosing the aging population, the pitfalls of existing treatments, and the need for brain-based models for care. Also covered are the importance of primary medicine, issues of daily life adjustment, use of SSRIs and other medications, suicide, subsyndromal states, the use of cognitive behavioural therapy, promising models of caregiving and long-term care, as well as the psychological treatment of older adults from an economic perspective. Plentiful case examples and call-outs enhance information.

Key Features:

• Advocates for integrative care, interdisciplinary activity, and primary care involvement for the older adult
• Demonstrates how a single problem approach for older adults with psychiatric problems is not effective or efficient care
• Espouses a Watch and Wait paradigm of care, based on person-centred diagnosis and monitoring
• Emphasises core components of care, depression, anxiety, cognition, pain/sleep/health issues, adjustment in the community
• Provides evidence for psychotherapy and assessment as a necessary features of care

See more