Overcoming Depression and Low Mood in Older Adults

Overcoming Depression and Low Mood in Older Adults joins the bestselling Routledge Overcoming Series, which includes publications that have the seal of approval by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and highly commended by the British Medical Association. This workbook outlines how to use the Five Areas(R) model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to equip older adults experiencing low mood or depression with key life skills to overcome these conditions. Addressing the common challenges faced by older adults during times of low mood and depression, the book provides educational life skills and resources to increase mental wellbeing in the care home, day hospital, and social support networks of this population. Chapters cover topics such as understanding and changing behaviours; behavioural activation and tackling avoidance; noticing and changing extreme and unhelpful thoughts; rebalancing relationships; building assertiveness; and problem solving. Substantially featured throughout are worksheet resources using interactive questions that can be photocopied for use by practitioners with older adults or in their routine business as a therapist or health/social care practitioner. This is a valuable text for any healthcare or mental health professional working with older adults including psychological therapists, social care workers, residential home staff, psychiatrists and practice nurse and health visiting staff. The workbook is also an approachable resource for older adults themselves.