Geropsychology and Long Term Care

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.

• Policies and Reimbursement: Meeting the Need for Mental Health Care in Long-Term Care.- Referrals.- Assessment.- Treatment Plans.- Treatment Process.- Integration of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Medication in Long-Term Care.- Professional Practice: Disciplines, Documentation, and Outcomes Measurement.- Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care.

From the reviews: "This guide for practitioners in nursing homes and assisted-living communities focuses on common emotional and behavioral problems ... . These articles outline the steps that are needed to improve reimbursement procedures, referrals, assessments, treatment plans, ethical considerations and the measurement of treatment outcomes." (SciTech Book News, March, 2009) "This unique book is a practical guide to issues associated with the provision of geropsychology services ... . This book provides a variety of useful and practical information that geropsychologists should be aware of when practicing in long-term care settings. ... provides useful 'tip of the iceberg' information for geropsychology practitioners on a wide range of relevant topics. ... the book provides a relatively comprehensive introduction to geropsychology practice issues that might best serve as an overview for clinicians new to the specialty." (Patrick J. Fox, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 302 (8), August, 2009)