What Is Geriatric Psychiatry & Do You Need It?

As an adult reaches their golden years, their needs change. How they see the world and how their brain functions as they age can transform. The approach to psychology as it applies to older adults needs to change along with it. In this post, we cover geriatric psychiatry. What is it? Who can it help, and how?

What Is Geriatric Psychology?

Geriatric psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at how the older population handles their mental and physical health. A geriatric psychologist studies many abilities that will lessen with age, including memory, coordination, learning, and more. Many geriatric psychologists will write studies about how the aging population behaves. The career itself requires just as much education as any other branch of psychology.

Geriatric psychology itself first started in the late 1970s. As people were beginning to live longer, there needed to be a field of psychology that could study the effects of aging. The group that formed geriatric psychology became the American Association for Geriatric Psychology.

What A Geriatric Psychologist Treats

A geriatric psychiatrist treats many facets of older people. These can include:

Coping With Aging

We all inevitably grow older. However, your elderly years come with rapid aging. You physically and mentally weaken, and it can be challenging for some people to cope with the changes. A geriatric psychologist studies how people cope with aging and how that coping can apply to others who are having trouble.

Coping With Diseases

In your later years, you're more likely to die from a heart attack, stroke, cancer, and other damaging, if not fatal, diseases. Geriatric psychology studies how people cope with those diseases, as well as how they cope with the fear of getting sick.

Mental Disorders

As a person ages, their cognition lessens. How they think and the way they process information may slow with it. They can develop disorders such as depression or dementia, which causes a decline in mental capacity. How an older person lives with these changes is a fascinating study.

Where Does a Geriatric Psychologist Work?

Geriatric psychologists work in many places, such as:

• Retirement or nursing homes. You'll find the aging population in these places, so it's no surprise that a psychologist may work there.
• Many hospitals house older people who are dealing with cancer or other diseases. A psychologist may counsel the person and see how they handle their illness.
• Rehab centers. Rehab is more than getting off drugs. Rehab also encapsulates people who are recovering from an injury or surgery. For example, many older folks get injured from slips and falls. Psychologists at rehabilitation centers work with their clients to help with the isolation and social problems associated with immobility.
• Research centers. This is where the psychologist creates studies and tries to figure out how diseases are treated.
• Doctor's offices. A geriatric psychologist may be the one who helps make the diagnosis when it comes to treating older people.

How A Geriatric Psychologist Checks For Mental Health Issues

A geriatric psychologist will go through many steps to diagnose someone with a mental health issue. Here are a few of them.

• Clinical interviews. A clinical interview is when the psychologist speaks to the client for more information. The client will list their symptoms and problems and discuss any other issues. This helps the psychologist get a grasp of what the client is experiencing.
• Neuropsychological tests. These are procedures where a psychologist tests your mental abilities. You will be tested on your ability to remember, learn, motor skills, perception, problem-solving, and anything else involving the brain.

Tests can include:

• Object recognition. In this test, you may be asked to explain the differences and similarities between objects.
• Verbal communication. You list items that a psychologist points at. You may name words that start with a particular letter of the alphabet.
• Motor tests. These may involve games involving your hands, but they can also involve hearing and vision tests. It just all depends.
• Finally, a psychologist may rely upon behavioral observations to see how one functions. The psychologist will look at how you respond and react and use certain behaviors, which can determine whether you have a disorder.

Geriatric Psychiatry

The difference between psychology and psychiatry is not noticeable at first. Both can diagnose and treat patients. That said, a geriatric psychologist is more focused on how the changes in the aging brain affect how a person functions. They can then use that knowledge to care for their patients.

Geriatric psychiatry, on the other hand, focuses more on treating mental disorders, mainly through medication. Both fields can be used for different purposes and compliment each other, so don't be afraid of talking to either of them.

What Geriatric Psychology Studies

Geriatric psychology studies many traits of the aging population, including:

Loneliness

Everyone gets lonely occasionally, but when you're aging, your loneliness can worsen. People you love are passing away. Your family may talk to you less, and physical illness or difficulties getting around can prevent you from getting out and meeting new people. Loneliness can quickly appear, and its effects should be examined. Caregivers need to make sure the needs of the older generation are being met.

Depression

Depression can affect anyone, but older people may be more prone to it. Depression can be due to various factors, such as loneliness or other circumstances that come with aging. It can make the older person lose interest in many activities, leading to an early grave.

Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term that covers various illnesses that can cause a decline in one's mental prowess. A geriatric psychologist helps diagnose dementia and studies the effects of dementia. Dementia isn't treatable, but hopefully, it will be one day. Here are some forms of dementia.

Alzheimer's Disease

We've all heard of Alzheimer's disease. It's the most common form of dementia. It's been heavily studied, with the goal being to figure out how to prevent, treat, and manage the disease.

Vascular Dementia

This form of dementia is the second most prominent form of dementia, and it's due to strokes. Again, the goal of psychologists is to learn how to treat it.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a physical disorder. Someone with Parkinson's may tremble, be slow, have poor balance, and suffer from other effects. A geriatric psychologist's goal isn't to treat the disease, as that isn't their specialty, but instead, to teach the person with Parkinson's how to live a better life.

How does a geriatric psychologist treat someone with a cognitive disorder?  Let's look at the most infamous cognitive disorder, Alzheimer's disease. With Alzheimer's, a patient's brain is shrinking, and cells are slowly dying; it can eventually affect the person’s cognition and emotions and how they function. The patient may not remember who they are, their past, or even what's happening in the present.

While a geriatric psychologist can't cure Alzheimer's, they can use techniques to make it easier for the person and their family to cope. They may use cognitive behavioral therapy for the patient to push unhelpful or negative thoughts out of their mind. This helps the patients to live a better life and try to live more independently regardless of what has happened to them.

When Is A Geriatric Psychologist Right For Me

We all know our mortality, but we don't like acknowledging it. One day, we will grow old, and our abilities may become dull. Some of us may be less affected than others, but every older person will have a challenge. So when is geriatric psychology right for someone? When you have a relative who is changing due to aging,  and you want to seek help. It's right when you're aging and want to know what to expect. If you are experiencing any changes in your old age, going to a geriatric psychologist as soon as possible can help you cope.

Online Therapy Can Help

Any therapist, whether a psychologist or geriatric therapist, can help you reach your potential and help you on the path to stronger mental health. 

If you want to talk to someone but find it challenging to commute to an appointment or are just looking for a different way, online therapy is a great choice. With online therapy, you are matched with a vetted, licensed professional, usually within 48 hours so that you can get started right away. You can attend sessions from your own home or anywhere with an internet connection, and there’s no commute to worry about. Research shows that online therapy is effective, with one review of 14 studies finding that it’s just as effective as in-person treatment. Ready to learn more? Connect with an online therapist to get started.

Takeaway

No one deserves a life where their mental health isn't the best it can be, especially in their old age. By speaking to a psychologist, you can help maintain a healthy life, no matter your age. A geriatric psychologist can help make your golden years truly golden, but you must talk with one if you want that to happen.