This book provides neurologists with a basic knowledge of psychiatric medications. It begins with general principles of psychopharmacology and the frequency of psychiatric illness in neurology patients. It goes on to cover psychoactive drugs in the elderly and treating behavioral symptoms of dementia. There is a special emphasis on drug-drug and drug-diet interactions that may be seen in clinical practice. Neurologists, residents, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists and psychiatrists in training will find this practical guide invaluable in numerous clinical settings.

In this issue, guest editors bring their considerable expertise to this important topic. Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in the field, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create these timely topic-based reviews.

This book provides neurologists with a basic knowledge of psychiatric medications. It begins with general principles of psychopharmacology and the frequency of psychiatric illness in neurology patients. It goes on to cover psychoactive drugs in the elderly and treating behavioral symptoms of dementia. There is a special emphasis on drug-drug and drug-diet interactions that may be seen in clinical practice. Neurologists, residents, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists and psychiatrists in training will find this practical guide invaluable in numerous clinical settings.

Studies show that residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are at a substantial risk of having psychiatric disorders. This practical volume provides much-needed clinical guidance for the prevention and appropriate treatment of mental illness in long-term care settings.

Abhilash K. Desai and George T. Grossberg offer a basic framework for a humanistic, team-based approach to meeting the needs of elder persons with mental disorders in long-term care facilities. Early chapters cover the demographics of residents, the epidemiology of their psychiatric symptoms, and the assessment process. Subsequent chapters focus on major disorders, including dementia, delirium, depression, psychosis, and anxiety. The authors discuss end-of-life issues and treatments and offer suggestions for improving care. Throughout, they highlight the importance of the relationship between staff and residents.

Emphasizing creative engagement and hands-on care and featuring clinical vignettes and practical tips, this optimistic volume reinforces the potential for nursing homes and assisted living facilities to be communities where residents thrive.

Old age is associated with a number of medico-social problems such as: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, osteoarthritis, tremor, pain, gait and balance impairment, incontinence, urinary tract infection, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, pressure ulcers, sleeping problems, cardiocerebrovascular disorders, fluid and electrolyte disturbance, nutritional disorders, immunisation and disease prevention rehabilitation and care. The management of these problems differs significantly between younger and older adults. All of these problems are evaluated in this book in two parts with the contributions of experienced clinicians and researchers. In addition, cellular ageing, comprehensive geriatric assessments, and medicolegal and ethical principles in geriatric medicine are also evaluated. This book will be a valuable tool for all clinicians involved in the management of elderly people.

This book provides a comprehensive, scholarly, and practical account of delirium that will be of value for all doctors and nurses involved in the care of the elderly. It not only offers a state of the art update on delirium, covering its history, epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment, diagnosis, causes, prevention, and management, but also presents evidence-based and practical information relevant to daily clinical routine. Owing to the complex multifactorial causes of delirium, different aspects of delirium in the elderly are discussed from a variety of perspectives. The book closes by presenting a series of case vignettes, delirium assessment tools and screening scales, and a list of those drugs highly associated with delirium. Delirium is a cognitive disorder characterized by deficits in attention, arousal, consciousness, memory, orientation, perception, speech, and language. It is a common and serious problem among older persons at every healthcare interface. Although it occurs in 10-60% of the older hospitalized population, delirium remains a relatively misunderstood and misdiagnosed condition. This book will be of interest to professionals working in geriatrics, geriatric psychiatry, general psychiatry, or neurology, internists, intensive care unit specialists, and all who care for the elderly in hospitals or the community.

Old age is associated with a number of medico-social problems such as: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, osteoarthritis, tremor, pain, gait and balance impairment, incontinence, urinary tract infection, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, pressure ulcers, sleeping problems, cardiocerebrovascular disorders, fluid and electrolyte disturbance, nutritional disorders, immunisation and disease prevention rehabilitation and care. The management of these problems differs significantly between younger and older adults. All of these problems are evaluated in this book in two parts with the contributions of experienced clinicians and researchers. In addition, cellular aging, comprehensive geriatric assessments, and medicolegal and ethical principles in geriatric medicine are also evaluated. This book will be a valuable tool for all clinicians involved in the management of elderly people.

Among the most frustrating challenges for any health care professional are treating and alleviating the distress of an agitated patient with dementia -- especially compelling in the midst of today's unprecedented population explosion among adults over age 65. For the first time ever, people age 85 and older represent the fastest-growing segment of our population.

As we find ways to meet this challenge, we are also transforming how we think about aging. Instead of the pejorative term "senility," which implies that simply to be old is to be infirm, we refer to the ABCs of geriatric psychiatry: disturbances in (A)ffect, (B)ehavior, and (C)ognition, which are not normal at any age.

This remarkable monograph offers practical direction on assessing and managing agitation in patients with dementia. Furthermore, this encouraging work shows that successful outcomes -- with response rates as high as 70% -- can be achieved with a systemic approach, involving both patient and caregiver, that includes cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, and reminiscence therapies. This concise book identifies and diagnoses the multiple types of agitation in dementia patients. It also explains how to look for and treat the underlying medical etiologies, and recommends treatment and management techniques, including: - Definitional and theoretical conceptualizations of agitation in the elderly; the epidemiology (i.e., the possible relationships involving agitation and dementia, and the dynamic between symptoms and the care setting) and neurochemistry (i.e., the neurobiological changes of behavior involve biochemical and structural causes, not structural causes alone) of agitation- Behavior assessment scales as evaluation tools; differential diagnoses (distinguishing delirium, depression, psychosis, and anxiety from the many precipitating and maintaining factors underlying agitation); clinical assessment and management of agitation in residential and other settings (extremely difficult and frustrating, often leading to staff and caregiver burnout)- Nonpharmacological interventions, such as a systemic approach to psychotherapy for both patient and caregiver (with some response rates as high as 70%), bright light therapy (promising but unproven), electroconvulsive therapy (effective -- with minimal and temporary side effects -- for severe, treatment-intolerant, or treatment-resistant illness), and hormone replacement therapies- The pathophysiology, pharmacology, and clinical data of serotonergic agents, mood stabilizers, neuroleptics, beta blockers, benzodiazepines, and other miscellaneous agents- The legal and ethical issues in treating agitation in patients with dementia -- finding the balance between autonomy and beneficence in the treatment of an agitated patient with dementia is difficult at best, with the challenge being to allow the patient's participation as long and as fully as possible

This book will appeal to a wide audience of geriatric psychiatrists, primary care physicians and internists, general practitioners, nurses, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, and mental health care workers and practitioners.

Sponsored by the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, this invaluable reference covers the entire range of geriatric psychiatry including: the ageing process; psychiatric disorders of the elderly; principles of diagnosis and treatment; medical-legal, ethical, and financial issues. Each of the 41 chapters is authored by a key leader in the field. Now in its third edition, this text has been expanded and thoroughly revised in order to reflect changes in the theory and practice of geriatric psychiatry. New chapters on the genetics of dementia and the genetics of mood disorders present the latest research data and their implications for psychiatric practice. Recent developments in the types and delivery of care are reflected in new chapters on matters such as the use of spirituality in psychiatry, evidence-based treatment, psychogeriatric programs, and geriatric consultation-liaison psychiatry. The treatment of ethical matters is enhanced by the addition of a full chapter on end-of-life issues. The result is a thorough, up-to-date, and authoritative overview of the dynamic and critical field of geriatric psychiatry as it moves into the 21st century.

The two-part format of this guide will allow readers to contemplate answers to questions in each chapter before the answers are revealed. The second part of the book reproduces each question along with its answer, explanatory notes, and supporting references.Whether you are studying for a certification board, state licensing exam, or just needing to bone up on your knowledge of this important subject area, The Study Guide to the Comprehensive Textbook of Geriatric Psychiatry is essential and useful reading.