This book is a practical resource that will support the delivery of holistic mental health interventions in the primary and community care setting for older people. Primary care delivery is discussed in relation to both functional mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and psychotic and personality disorders, and acquired organic mental disorders of old age, such as dementia, cognitive impairments, and delirium. Careful consideration is paid to the complex relationship between mental and somatic health problems, as well as the impacts of multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Further topics include, for example, epidemiology, wider determinants of health, different care models, history taking, neurocognitive and capacity assessment, and pharmacological, psychological, and physical interventions. The wider goals of the book are to support the development of community resilience and self-care in older people; to promote universal access and equity for older people in order to enable them to achieve or recover the highest attainable standard of health, regardless of age, gender, or social position; and to promote pathways to care for older people with mental health problems respecting their autonomy, independence, human rights, and the importance of the life-course approach. This book will be an invaluable resource for all professionals who work with older adults with mental health problems and those training in these fields including physicians, psychiatrists, family doctors, geriatricians, general practitioners, nurses, psychologists, neurologists, occupational therapists, social workers, support workers and community health and social care workers.

At least 5.6 million to 8 million-nearly one in five-older adults in America have one or more mental health and substance use conditions, which present unique challenges for their care. With the number of adults age 65 and older projected to soar from 40.3 million in 2010 to 72.1 million by 2030, the aging of America holds profound consequences for the nation. For decades, policymakers have been warned that the nation's health care workforce is ill-equipped to care for a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse population. In the specific disciplines of mental health and substance use, there have been similar warnings about serious workforce shortages, insufficient workforce diversity, and lack of basic competence and core knowledge in key areas. Following its 2008 report highlighting the urgency of expanding and strengthening the geriatric health care workforce, the IOM was asked by the Department of Health and Human Services to undertake a complementary study on the geriatric mental health and substance use workforce. The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands? assesses the needs of this population and the workforce that serves it. The breadth and magnitude of inadequate workforce training and personnel shortages have grown to such proportions, says the committee, that no single approach, nor a few isolated changes in disparate federal agencies or programs, can adequately address the issue. Overcoming these challenges will require focused and coordinated action by all.

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.

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.

A new and updated version of this best-selling resource! Jones and Bartlett Publisher's 2011 Nurse's Drug Handbook is the most up-to-date, practical, and easy-to-use nursing drug reference! It provides: Accurate, timely facts on hundreds of drugs from abacavir sulfate to Zyvox; Concise, consistently formatted drug entries organized alphabetically; No-nonsense writing style that speaks your language in terms you use everyday; Index of all generic, trade, and alternate drug names for quick reference. It has all the vital information you need at your fingertips: Chemical and therapeutic classes, FDA pregnancy risk category and controlled substance schedule; Indications and dosages, as well as route, onset, peak, and duration information; Incompatibilities, contraindications; interactions with drugs, food, and activities, and adverse reactions; Nursing considerations, including key patient-teaching points; Vital features include mechanism-of-action illustrations showing how drugs at the cellular, tissue, or organ levels and dosage adjustments help individualize care for elderly patients, patients with renal impairment, and others with special needs; Warnings and precautions that keep you informed and alert.

The purpose of restorative care nursing is to take an active role in helping older adults maintain their highest level of function, thus preventing excess disability. This book was written to help formal and informal caregivers and administrators at all levels to understand the basic philosophy of restorative care, and be able to develop and implement successful restorative care programs. The book provides a complete 6-week education program in restorative care for caregivers, many suggestions for suitable activities, and practical strategies for motivating both older adults and caregivers to engage in restorative care. In addition, the book provides an overview of the requirements for restorative care across all settings, the necessary documentation, and ways in which to complete that documentation.

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.