Health Needs of LGBTQ Patients in Geriatric Psychiatry
The percentage of American adults identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) increased to 4.5 percent in 2017, up from 4.1 percent in 2016 and 3.5 percent in 2012 when Gallup began tracking the measure. According to Gallup, “the expansion in the number of Americans who identify as LGBT is driven primarily by the cohort […]
Mental Health Parity Still Not Realized in Insurance Coverage
More than ten years ago, a major milestone in the treatment of mental health disorders was reached when President George W. Bush signed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) into law. The legislation, commonly known as the federal parity law, requires most insurers to cover illnesses of the brain, such as depression or substance […]
Challenges and Opportunities in Accessing Geriatric Mental Health Services
America is aging. The number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to more than double by 2060, and the 65-plus age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from currently 15 percent. The challenges and opportunities involved in this trend were the focus of a recent presentation by […]
The Role of Geriatric Psychology in Alzheimer’s Treatment
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. An estimated 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease (AD). By mid-century, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s dementia is projected to grow to almost 14 million in the United States, fueled in large part by aging baby boomers. […]
The Nexus of Good Mental Health and Physical Fitness in Older Adults
Regular exercise and physical activity are important to the physical and mental health of almost everyone, including older adults. Being physically active can help you continue to do the things you enjoy and stay independent as you age. It’s not a one-way street, either. Mind and body are often held to be completely separate entities, but when […]
Bipolar Disorder and the Elderly
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder affects more than 5.7 million adults in the United States each year—that’s about 3 percent of the population. The typical age of onset is the late teens or early twenties, and a history of depression is common in people diagnosed with bipolar. The early onset […]
New Nasal Spray for Treatment-Resistant Depression
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a new prescription-only nasal spray for use against treatment-resistant depression. Fast-acting Spravato is for use in conjunction with an oral antidepressant in adults with treatment-resistant depression, notes the FDA. “There has been a long-standing need for additional effective treatments for treatment-resistant depression, a serious and life-threatening condition,” […]
Geriatric Mental Health Hospitalizations Can Help Support Longer Independence
“The current growth of the population ages 65 and older is one of the most significant demographic trends in the history of the United States,” according to the Population Reference Bureau. “The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and […]
Symptoms of Depression in Seniors You Should Not Ignore
It is quite common for older adults to experience multiple health problems requiring a battery of medications. Mobility and agility may be compromised and many seniors report reduced social and emotional support—even isolation. That is why many people assume that getting older also entails a certain amount of depression. Since sadness is expected with advanced […]
Insufficient Treatment For Older Patients With Depression
One in four older Americans experiences some mental disorder including depression, anxiety disorders, and dementia, according to the National Council on Aging. NCOA does not expect the situation to improve any time soon. “This number is expected to double to 15 million by 2030.” Depression alone affects seven million older Americans, but many do not receive […]
