Schizophrenia and Psychoses in Later Life
New Perspectives on Treatment, Research, and Policy

A state-of-the-art overview of schizophrenia and psychosis in later life, translating present-day knowledge into clinical practice.

Carl I. Cohen (Edited by), Paul D. Meesters (Edited by)

9781108727778, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 March 2019

270 pages, 4 b/w illus. 11 tables
23.3 x 15.6 x 1.5 cm, 0.41 kg

'This book is a unique compendium of the major studies of aging and schizophrenia. In this way, it provides an essential resource for current understanding of the issues involved. The effort itself involves an important and often neglected area of the mental health field. The book covers the two crucial general areas, the nature of the problem of schizophrenia in later life, and the variety of programs possible for its treatment. … This broad-reaching review reminds care-givers, clinicians, researchers, and community activists of the diversity of 'treatments' that need to be considered and evaluated for more intelligent approaches to care.' John Strauss, Yale University, Connecticut

By 2050, the number of people aged sixty years and older with schizophrenia is expected to double and affect about 10 million people worldwide. Psychoses are among the most common experiences in later life, with a lifetime risk of 23 percent. As a result, there is a looming crisis in mental health care. Schizophrenia and Psychoses in Later Life is the first major multidisciplinary reference on these important disorders. The book provides guidelines for clinical care, research and policy that are consistent with the emerging paradigmatic changes occurring with respect to schizophrenia in later life. This book features multidisciplinary contributions from experts in the fields of biological psychiatry, social psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, social work, psychology, and neuropsychology that will help professionals to integrate services and attain the best outcomes. The text will guide psychiatrists, psychologists, gerontologists, policymakers, and social scientists in creating innovative new programs to help this underserved and growing population.

Part I. Epidemiology, Historical background, Illness Phenomenology, and Diagnostic Issues: 1. Epidemiology of psychotic disorders: methodological issues and empirical findings Robert Sigström and Deborah Gustafson
2. Epidemiology of schizophrenia: patterns of care for older adults with schizophrenia Donna McAlpine and Ellen McCreedy
3. Assessment and diagnosis of psychotic symptoms in older adults Michael Reinhardt, Dina Ghoneim, Tessa Murante, Eric Nelson, Paulina Vargas and Shifra Mincer
4. A comparison of early and late-onset schizophrenia Dina Ghoneim
Part II. Biological, Neurocognitive, and Medical Aspects: 5. Biological changes in older persons with schizophrenia Michael Centorino and Susan Schultz
6. Cognitive functioning in older adults with schizophrenia Tarek Rajji
7. Medical issues in older persons with schizophrenia Frank Copeli and Carl I. Cohen
Part III. Outcome and Course: 8. Assessing outcomes in schizophrenia in later life Carl I. Cohen
9. Positive psychiatry for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders Graham Eglit, Barton W. Palmer and Dilip V. Jeste
Part IV. Social Functioning and Mood: 10. Social functioning among older community-dwelling persons with schizophrenia Paul D. Meesters
11. Depression and suicidality in older adults with schizophrenia John Kasckow and Aninditha Vengassery
12. Community treatment needs Paul D. Meesters
13. Treatment of schizophrenia and psychoses in older adults: psychopharmacological approaches Subramoniam Madhusoodanan
14. Model programs and interventions for older adults with schizophrenia Stephen J. Bartels, Peter R. DiMilia and Heather Leutwyler
15. Changing caregiver needs with increasing age of people with schizophrenia Harriet P. Lefley and Brian R. Ghezelaiagh
16. Personal accounts of living with schizophrenia across a lifetime: coping strategies and subjective perspectives Tova Band-Winterstein, Hila Avieli and Peli Mushkin
17. The care of older adults with schizophrenia in developing countries Rujvi Kamat and Samir T. Mukherjee
Part V. Health Policy and Research: Future Directions: 18. Schizophrenia in later life: public policy issues in the United States Michael B. Friedman, Lisa Furst, Paul S. Nestadt, Kimberly A. Williams and Lina Rodriguez
19. Epilogue: controversies, conjectures, and future directions Carl I. Cohen and Paul D. Meesters.

Subject Areas: Clinical psychology [MMJ], Psychiatry [MMH], Geriatric medicine [MJX], Neurology & clinical neurophysiology [MJN]