Functional Psychiatric Disorders of the Elderly

Until recently the literature has sadly neglected the commonest disorders of old age which, lacking a demonstrable organic basis, have tended to be called ‘functional’. Professor Chiu and Dr Ames provide us with the first comprehensive text to deal with all the non-dementing psychiatric disorders in a practical guide and exhaustive reference. Interfacing psychiatry and somatic medicine, and confronting the issues of co-morbidity, this text clearly outlines our core knowledge about clinical problems, discussing appropriate treatments and highlighting areas for future research. Along with case histories which bring much of the detail into lively focus, chapters are neatly cross-referenced and are rich in practical advice for multidisciplinary management strategies. A unique group of contributors of international renown includes members of a number of allied health disciplines relevant to old-age psychiatry. This text is sure to be of widespread interest to all professionals concerned with the health of older people.

Author Biography

Professor David Ames (BA, MD, FRCPsych, FRANZCP) graduated MB BS from the University of Melbourne in 1978 and trained in psychiatry at the Royal Melbourne (Australia) and Royal Free (London, UK) Hospitals (1982–7). His doctoral thesis was on the topic of depression in aged care homes. He was University of Melbourne Senior Lecturer (1989–1994), Associate Professor (1995–2005) and Professor of Psychiatry of Old Age (2005–2007), before taking up the post of Professor of Ageing and Health and Director of the National Ageing Research Institute in September 2007. He has extensive clinical experience in old age psychiatry and was director of the St Vincent’s Health Aged Psychiatry Service from 2005 to 2008. David Ames has also edited the peer-reviewed Cambridge University Press journal International Psychogeriatrics (2003–2011). He has published over 145 peer-reviewed papers in academic journals and has co-edited or written 17 books. His main research interests are the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and the care of the depressed elderly.