Geropsychology and Long Term Care: A Practitioner's Guide

The ever-increasing population of older adults residing in nursing homes and long-term care communities, as reflected in numerous demographic studies, point out a clear need for geropsychologists i.e., trained specialists in the field of aging and mental health, to meet the needs of this nation's older adults. This Manual will provide a needed resource for psychologists working in long-term care settings and those who wish to do so. Key outcomes include the provision of high quality psychological services for this important but neglected sector namely, people living in nursing homes, assisted living communities and other LTC settings. This text will be of great value to psychologists currently working in long-term care settings who have had graduate work in geropsychology, yet desire more in-depth and practical training. A second audience includes those individuals who may have a leaning towards expanding their professional activities in long-term care and are seeking additional preparation before doing more work with older adults. A third group is comprised of those individuals who are not psychologists, yet have had some training and coursework in aging and mental health. This Manual serves as an important complement to previous training. This text can also be useful to guide geropsychologists in the training of non-specialists who will in turn be able to pass this knowledge onto others via careful study of its contents.

Dr. Erlene Rosowsky is a licensed psychologist and past-president of Needham Psychotherapy Associates, LLC. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of emotional problems at middle-age through later life. Specific interests are personality in older age, health and aging, and the older couple. Dr. Rosowsky divides her time between clinical practice and professional/community education. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and is affiliated with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center – Needham Campus. She is on the faculty of the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, a Director of their Center for Mental Health and Aging, and a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Rosowsky is also well-published in the professional literature, and is a popular national speaker and workshop leader for both professional and lay groups. She serves as Chair of the Generations editorial board and wrote a column, Speaking of Aging, for the Journal of Retirement Planning. Dr. Rosowsky has authored and edited three books: Personality Disorders in Older Adults: Emerging Issues in Diagnosis and Treatment (1999); Personality Disorders in Older Adults: Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment (2006) & Geropsychology and Long Term Care: A Practitioner’s Guide (2008).Dr. Joseph Casciani is the President of Concept Healthcare, LLC in San Diego, CA, providing online, interactive training and live web conferences for those working with older adults, at www.cohealth.org. He is also the director of a multi-state group delivering behavioral health services to residents in LTC facilities. Dr. Casciani is licensed as a psychologist in the states of California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York, and is the President of Psychologists in Long Term Care for the 2008-2010 term.Dr. Merla Arnold is an independent practitioner providing geropsychology services, behavioral health counseling, consultation and education. Her clinical practice takes place in long term care settings in Western Suffolk & Eastern Nassau Counties, New York. Dr. Arnold is a New York State licensed psychologist and a member of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, a Certified QA/UR Professional; and a New York State licensed Registered Nurse. Dr. Arnold is the recipient of several awards and honors, including the ISABEL BELL Award.