Clinicians Discover the Elderly

Early in the twentieth century, mental health professionals focused little on the elderly. But like the problems of children, those of aging people have now caught the attention of researchers and clinicians. Current work is changing how we understand and treat the psychological problems of the elderly. No longer do clinicians simply accept depression or anxiety in elderly people as inevitable. No longer do they overlook the dangers of prescription drug misuse by the elderly. And no longer do they underestimate the dangers of delirium or the prevalence of neurocognitive disorders. Similarly, geropsychologists have become more aware of the importance of addressing the health care and financial needs of the elderly as keys to their psychological well-being.

As the elderly population lives longer and grows ever larger, the needs of people in this age group are becoming more visible. Thus the study and treatment of their psychological problems will probably continue at a rapid pace. Clinicians and public officials are not likely to underestimate their needs and importance again.

Particularly urgent is neurocognitive impairment and its devastating impact on the elderly and their families. As you have read throughout the chapter, the complexity of the brain makes neurocognitive disorders difficult to understand, diagnose, and treat. However, researchers are now making important discoveries on a regular basis. To date, this research has largely focused on the biological aspects of these disorders, but the disorders have such a powerful impact on patients and their families that psychological and sociocultural investigations are also starting to grow by leaps and bounds.