Mental Health Issues in Older Adults: Proven Strategies for Cognitive Deficits, Depression and Anxiety – Gregory A. Hinrichsen

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• Assessment tools for cognitive deficits, depression, anxiety and substance abuse
• Proven approaches to treat late life mental health problems
• Critical steps in building a successful geriatric practice including billing Medicare and Medicaid
• Ethical issues commonly confronted in practice with older adults

Drawing on over 40 years of clinical experience in the field of aging, Gregory A. Hinrichsen, Ph.D., ABPP, will teach you concrete strategies to work with older adults who have mental health issues, including:

• Assessing cognitive deficits, depression and anxiety
• Treating depression and anxiety and managing cognitive deficits
• Handling common ethical issues
• Addressing life transitions, grief/complicated grief, thoughts of suicide and interpersonal conflict
• Engaging and establishing credibility
• Building a successful geriatric mental health practice

Through dynamic discussion, case studies and video examples you will walk away with the essential assessment and treatment tools to provide better care for older adults, grow your practice and find more satisfaction and joy in your clinical work!

1. Describe three common misconceptions about older adults and your own attitudes toward aging.
2. Demonstrate four effective methods to engage older adults needing mental health care.
3. State five critical issues to cover in the assessment of older adults.
4. Implement effective treatment approaches for depression and anxiety as well as in the management of cognitive problems.
5. Describe three essential factors for developing and sustaining a geriatric clinical practice.
6. Provide three common ethical issues associated with care of older adults.

The Worlds of Older Adults

• Myths and realities about older adults
• What do you really think about older adults and your own aging?

Credibility with Older Adults

• A life before becoming old
• Etiquette and avoiding interpersonal pitfalls in establishing rapport
• Adaptations for sensory, cultural and generational mismatch
• How health, housing and social services shape older lives

Mental Health Issues in Late Life

• Epidemiology of late life mental disorders – made easy
• Common mental health conditions and life problems
• Facts about successfully treating mental health problems

Assessment of Mental Health Problems

• Assessment of motivation and intention to see you
• Medical history and medications
• Tools, instruments and protocols to measure:
  • Cognitive deficits
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Substance abuse
• Referrals for medical care, psychiatric care, social services
• Common problems during an initial assessment (and how to deal with them)

Management of Mild-Severe Cognitive Deficits

• Distinction between dementia and delirium
• Strategies to address memory complaints
• Strategies to help older adults with dementia and their families
• Common problems faced by clinicians (and how to deal with them)
• Resources

Treatment of Late Life Depression

• Fundamental issues in late life depression
• Proven treatment strategies using:
  • Problem Solving Treatment
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Common problems encountered in psychotherapy (and how to deal with them)

Treatment of Late Life Anxiety

• Fundamental issues in late life anxiety
• Proven treatment strategies using CBT
• Common problems encountered in psychotherapy (and how to deal with them)
• Resources to further build your treatment skills

Critical Steps in Building a Successful Geriatric Practice

• An overview of Medicare and Medicaid
• Common service delivery sites
• Referrals and coordinating care with other health care providers
• Common problems in business and management (and how to handle them)

Ethical Issues

• Balance safety and autonomy
• Safeguard privacy and consent
• Determine capacity to give consent
• Deal with conflict of interest and blurring of roles