CLP 3140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Dsm-5, Delusional Disorder, Psychosis
Document Summary
Old age is usually defined in our society as the years past age 65: 43 million people in the united states (13. 6%) Overall population of the elderly is on the rise. About half of adults over 65 have two or three chronic illness, and 15% have four or more. Geropsychology: the field of psychology concerned with the mental health of elderly people: only 4% of clinicians work primarily with elderly people. The psychological problems of elderly people may be divided into two groups: depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorder, delirium, mild neurocognitive disorders, and major neurocognitive disorders. The features of depression are the same for elderly people as for young people, including feelings of profound sadness and emptiness, low self- esteem, guilt, and pessimism; and loss of appetite and sleep disturbances. Overall 20% of people become depressed at some point during old age: the rate is highest in older women.