HHS502 Psychiatry of Old Age (8)

CSU Discipline Area: Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health (NRMIH)

Duration: One session

Abstract:

The major focus of this subject is on Geriatric Psychiatry and provides a necessary background in the related areas of gerontology, geriatric medicine and neuropsychology. The subject has a clinical orientation.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2013.Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details prior to contacting their course coordinator: HHS502

Where differences exist between the handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Enrolment restrictions:

Master of Mental Health students only

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

Distinguish between normal and abnormal aspects of ageing;
Understand the issues associated with normal ageing, including loss and grief;
Identify "disorders" of old age and their treatments eg dementia, affective disorders, psychotic disorders, neurotic and personality disorders, substance abuse disorders;
Develop assessment and management plans and skills in relation to challenging behaviours of old age, eg wandering, confusion, aggression;
Understand a range of treatments and management strategies, and their appropriate usage, including cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy, pharmacology, music therapy;
Understand and apply appropriate legislation related to aged care;
Identify a range of services to assist older people and their families/carers;
Develop self-management and workload management strategies;
Intervene at administrative/organisational level when required to assist in making services more responsive to client need.

Syllabus:

The subject will cover the following topics:

The ageing process Models of ageing Cultural aspects of ageing; family systems Bereavement and loss Geriatric medicine - general principles Drug therapy in old age Aged care assessment Assessment process in geriatric pscychiatry Pschychiatric illness- demography and epidomology Neuropschylogy of ageing Classification of systems Dementia, affective disorder, paranoid disorder, neurosis, delerium, self-harm, substance abuse. Mangement skills - using services Residential services Pscychopharmacology Legislation, ethical issues, research and evaluation Agency visits.

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