Geriatric Care Management and Psychotherapy

Medicare Services US

"...in-home psychotherapy services takes the fear out of office visits that many people have.”

Our Geriatric Population and Their Need for Psychotherapy Allan N. Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. Updated: Feb 17th 2008 For a long time now I have been reading articles stating that those who are over 65 years of age and older and are depressed are not helped by psychotherapy.... Past studies came to the same conclusion as the Liverpool study. The purpose of this post is to state my opinion, based on my experience, that many patients who ...

Self and Family Reports

New Jersey Home Care & Hospice

Many physicians rely on the self and family reports to adjust medication dose. But in some cases the patient has come off the medication or is adjusting their own dose. Or there are other valid reasons like late delivery. Psychotherapists who have joint case management with physicians of several specialties are in a good position to help. Monitor behavior, call in emergencies, and help in other ways such as referral to PAAD New Jersey or other pharmacy management efforts like Medicaid or VA.

..are elderly and are receiving .anti depressant medications do benefit from psycho dynamic or "talking therapy."

During my 40's I worked in an outpatient psychiatry clinic based in a major New York City Hospital. The particular clinic I worked in provided psychotherapy and medication {management -Ed } for patients aged 60 and over. Many of our patients were in their 70's and late 80's. All came to the clinic with public transportation. Most of these people were experiencing depression, taking anti depressant medications and were in long term individual and group psychotherapy as frequently as once per week and as few as once per month.

Were these patients helped by the psychotherapy? In my opinion, they certainly were. Of course, a lot depends upon the interpretation of the word "helped." Anti depressant medications succeeded in alleviating depressant symptoms such as agitation, hopelessness, tearfulness and suicidal ideation.

Note: edited to fit by Dr. Bob Osenenko

Pharmacy management of medications and education about their use should be explained in order to get the highest level of compliance. Pharmacy consultants can be used for this purpose.