Awarded the book prize for 2012 by the Australasian Journal on Ageing! Even when he’s grey around the muzzle, the black dog of depression can still deliver a ferocious bite. Depression can strike at any age, and it may appear for the first time as we get older, as a result of life circumstances or our genetic makeup. While older people face the same kinds of mental health issues as younger people, they can find it more difficult to deal with them owing to the stressors which accumulate with age. There is also a high incidence of undiagnosed depression in older age, presenting extra challenges for carers. Managing Depression Growing Older offers a systematic guide to identifying depression in older people, supporting them at home or in an aged care setting, and the importance of diet, exercise and attitude in recovery. It is essential reading for anyone who works with the elderly.

The geriatric population, defined as men and women 65 years and older, is the fastest growing population in the world. While gerontology, the study of the aging process in human beings, has brought insights about the physical, emotional, and social needs of this population, little attention has been given to the mental health of the aging, and often treatable disorders are overlooked entirely. Depression is one of the leading mental disorders in any age group, but among the elderly it is often viewed as a normal part of aging. But it’s not. Depression at any age requires attention and treatment. For sufferers and their families and caregivers, this go-to guide introduces readers to depression among the aging and elderly. It looks at both sufferers who’ve been diagnosed in their younger years as well as those with a new diagnosis, and reviews the symptoms, the diagnostic process, treatment options including alternative and holistic approaches, and long term care for those experiencing mild, moderate, or severe depression. With real stories throughout, the book illustrates the many forms depression can take, and Serani offers a compassionate voice alongside practical advice for sufferers, caregivers, and families. An extensive resource section rounds out the book. Anyone suffering from depression in later life, and anyone who cares for someone suffering, will want to read this important guide to living well with depression in the golden years.

Awarded the book prize for 2012 by the Australasian Journal on Ageing! This book offers a systematic guide to depression in older people at home or in aged care settings. It is essential reading for anyone who works with the elderly.

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.

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

The author demarcates the current body of knowledge relevant to the clinical care of elders experiencing depression.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

This handy DSM-5(R) Classification provides a ready reference to the DSM-5 classification of disorders, as well as the DSM-5 listings of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes for all DSM-5 diagnoses. To be used in tandem with DSM-5(R) or the Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria From DSM-5(R), the DSM-5(R) Classification makes accessing the proper diagnostic codes quick and convenient. With the advent of ICD-10-CM implementation in the United States on October 1, 2015, this resource provides quick access to the following: - The DSM-5(R) classification of disorders, presented in the same sequence as in DSM-5(R), with both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes. All subtypes and specifiers for each DSM-5(R) disorder are included.- An alphabetical listing of all DSM-5 diagnoses with their associated ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes.- Separate numerical listings according to the ICD-9-CM codes and the ICD-10-CM codes for each DSM-5(R) diagnosis.- For all listings, any codable subtypes and specifiers are included with their corresponding ICD-9-CM or ICD-10-CM codes, if applicable. The easy-to-use format will prove indispensable to a diverse audience--for example, clinicians in a variety of fields, including psychiatry, primary care medicine, and psychology; coders working in medical centers and clinics; insurance companies processing benefit claims; individuals conducting utilization or quality assurance reviews of specific cases; and community mental health organizations at the state or county level.

"In the U.S., major depressive disorder afflicts more than 20 million adults and children every year. Living with Depression details the various forms and manifestations of depression alongside Serani's own personal and professional experiences with depression. Clinical definitions, updated research, and the promise of science serve not only as a resource guide for anyone who has depression or loves someone with this disorder, but also as a testament to those who live productively with mental illness"--

Given the 2006 GREAT GERONTOLOGY AWARD for outstanding contribution to gerontological research by the Swedish Gerontological Society Received a VALUE GROUND AWARD from the journal Aldreomsorg (Old Age Care) Expanding upon his earlier writings, Dr. Tornstam's latest book explores the need for new theories in gerontology and sets the stage for the development of his theory of gerotranscendence. This theory was developed to address what the author sees as a perpetual mismatch between present theories in social gerontology and existing empirical data. The development towards gerotranscendence can involve some overlooked developmental changes that are related to increased life satisfaction, as self-described by individuals. The gerotranscendent individual typically experiences a redefinition of the Self and of relationships to others and a new understanding of fundamental existential questions: The individual becomes less self-occupied and at the same time more selective in the choice of social and other activities. There is an increased feeling of affinity with past generations and a decreased interest in superfluous social interaction. The individual might also experience a decrease in interest in material things and a greater need for solitary "meditation.î Positive solitude becomes more important. There is also often a feeling of cosmic communion with the spirit of the universe, and a redefinition of time, space, life and death. Gerotranscendence does NOT imply any state of withdrawal or disengagement, as sometimes erroneously believed. It is not the old disengagement theory in new disguise. Rather, it is a theory that describes a developmental pattern beyond the old dualism of activity and disengagement. The author supports his theory with insightful qualitative in-depth interviews with older persons and quantitative studies. In addition, Tornstam illustrates the practical implications of the theory of gerotranscendence for professionals working with older adults in care settings. A useful Appendix contains suggestions of how to facilitate personal development toward gerotranscendence. For Further Information, Please Click Here!