Psychotherapy with the Underserved Older Adult Population

Abstract

The older adult population is steadily growing in number, and by 2050, over 20% of the U.S. population is expected to be over the age of 65. Ageism may affect both patients and providers and may limit access to mental health services. This chapter reviews the prevalence of major mental health conditions in older adults, empirically supported treatments for these conditions, and how best to tailor interventions for use with older patients. The authors suggest that psychoeducational training, increasing availability of specialty training programs for providers, intergenerational programs to promote empathy from as early as primary school to hospital staff training, and shifts in policy may boost interactions with older persons in health care settings and decrease avoidance of assessment and treatment for mental health conditions.