Mental Disorders in Older Adults: Fundamentals of Assessment and Treatment [Hardcover]

Steven H. Zarit PhD (Author), Judy M. Zarit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 1998 | ISBN-10: 1572303689 | ISBN-13: 978-1572303683 | Edition: 1

This volume presents the foundational knowledge and skills that mental health practitioners need to meet the growing needs of our aging population. Thorough coverage is provided of normal aging processes and their effects on intellectual functioning, memory, personality, and other areas. Common psychological problems are discussed, and a comprehensive framework for evaluation and treatment is delineated. Outlining helpful concepts and approaches to guide psychotherapeutic work with this population, the book describes ways to coordinate psychological interventions with psychiatric treatment and supportive services. A special section is devoted to working with families on alleviating caregiver stress, simplifying the senior's living environment, and weighing difficult decisions about the level of assistance a loved one may need. Other topics covered include working as a consultant in nursing homes and dealing with ethical questions around confidentiality and end-of-life issues. An essential resource for clinicians, this book also serves as a text for courses in psychology and aging, gerontology, and geriatric psychology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book provides a most useful perspective on psychological and social aspects of mental health and impairment among older adults. Focusing on psychosocial interventions, it also contains important insights on the implications of biological therapies. Perhaps the book's greatest strength is the knowledge and expertise of its authors. With extensive experience in geriatric psychology and psychopathology, Steven Zarit and Judy Zarit have produced a valuable introduction to the field." --Dan G. Blazer, MD, PhD, J.P. Gibbons Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dean of Medical Education, Duke University Medical Center

"I recommend this book to all health professionals who care for elderly patients. Psychologists and geriatricians alike will benefit from the breadth of its coverage and will gain the knowledge they need to collaborate effectively in treatment planning and intervention." --Heidi Syropoulos, MD, CMD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine

"The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and readable discussion available of the assessment and treatment of mental disorders in late life....Destined to become a standard text in the classroom and a classic on the practitioner's bookshelf." Bob G. Knight, PhD

About the Author

Steven H. Zarit, PhD, earned his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1972, with an emphasis in adult development and aging. He is Professor of Human Development and Assistant Director of the Gerontology Center at Pennsylvania State University and is also Adjunct Professor at the University College of Health Sciences, Sweden. His research, teaching and clinical practice has focused on issues in later life, particularly dementia and family caregiving.

Judy M. Zarit, PhD, earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Aging at the University of Southern California in 1982. She has been in private practice in State College, Pennsylvania since 1986, specializing in neuropsychological assessment of dementia and clinical interventions with older adults. She provides consultation services to nursing homes, dementia units, and assisted living facilities.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 418 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (August 7, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572303689
• ISBN-13: 978-1572303683
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #796,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE GREATEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN!!!, February 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mental Disorders in Older Adults: Fundamentals of Assessment and Treatment (Hardcover)

This may be the finest book I've ever read. It really let's the common person learn about that entity known as "old people". Who would have thought that they were just like us normal folk?!