Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of the BRIGHTEN Program (Bridging Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking), an interdisciplinary team intervention for assessing and treating older adults for depression in outpatient primary and specialty medical clinics. The BRIGHTEN team collaborates "virtually"…

Purpose: We test the efficacy of an intervention based on the transtheoretical model to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and to describe differences in psychosocial variables based on the achievement of the 5 A Day Program target. Design and Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing a 12-month fruit and vegetable…

Purpose: Older adults watch more television than younger people do. Television's role in mental health has been described in the general population, but less is known about how older adults think of television in the context of depression. Design and Methods: Using a semistructured interview created to help clinicians understand how older adults…

Purpose: We compared a primary-care-based psychotherapy, that is, problem-solving therapy for primary care (PST-PC), to community-based psychotherapy in treating late-life major depression and dysthymia. Design and Methods: The data here are from the IMPACT study, which compared collaborative care within a primary care clinic to care as usual in…

Purpose: We describe and evaluate a project designed to pilot test an evidence-based clinical intervention for assessing and treating depression in older adults in rural primary care clinics. Project ADAPT--Assuring Depression Assessment and Proactive Treatment--utilized existing primary care resources to overcome barriers to sustainability…

Purpose: The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is widely used in clinical and research settings to screen older adults for depressive symptoms. Although several exploratory factor analytic structures have been proposed for the scale, no independent confirmation has been made available that would enable investigators to confidently identify scores…

Describes sub-acute diagnostic and treatment nursing home program for difficult to manage older adults with medical and psychiatric illness. Notes that assessment and discharge can be completed within seven months, and that among sample population studied, almost equal percentages were discharged to state institutions, remained in the study home,…

Notes that low Medicare reimbursement rates are already causing some mental health professionals to turn away elderly patients. Considers baby boomer cohort who, unlike elders today, have high rates of psychiatric illness and are more likely to seek mental health services. Projects increasing gap over next 25 years between need and availability of…

Evaluated prognostic validity of clinical and psychometric variables in psychogeriatric inpatients. Divided elderly patients into three outcome groups: nondischarged (n=29), discharged-readmitted (n=38), and discharged-nonreadmitted (n=67). Discriminant analysis of data yielded two predictive functions, which appeared to represent physical status…

The relationship between vision and mental functioning was investigated in a study of 295 elderly residents from three levels of care. Visual acuity and mental status were assessed. Findings indicate that there was indeed a relationship between vision and mental status. (Author)

Describes the "Peer Support System," which involved older people in the provision of improved mental health services, including education and service identification. The program consisted of recruiting and training 48 peer counselors, and conducting monthly health education workshops. Funded by the Administration on Aging, the project…

Compared patients (N=103) admitted to inpatient geriatric care unit focusing on restoration of functional status to control-unit patients (N=75). Found greater improvement in basic functional capabilities of study-unit than control-unit patients. Found mixed picture when length of stay and total charges of study- and control-unit patients were…

Field-tested public/private collaborative model geropsychiatric nursing home. Found planning and implementation to be difficult due to interdepartmental strain within public sector and changes in ownership and administrative policy within private sector. Considers ways to reduce barriers. (Author/NB)

Describes the development of a mobile geriatric outreach team. The importance of thorough, interdisciplinary assessment and the offering of active, brief psychotherapy are stressed. Community education programs and consultations to the aging network reach the senior community and other referral sources. Preliminary program evaluation data are…

Compares adult and elderly clients of a Crisis Intervention Service in an urban metropolitan area, which included a telephone counseling/referral service and a mobile intervention team for home assessments. Findings indicated the importance of using a biopsychosocial model, particularly in the assessment of elderly persons. (JAC)