Course​​ 
C01 -​​ CPA Academy Update Course with​​ CAGP:​​ Management of Older Adults with Psychiatric Disorders: Updates on Addictions, Depression and Dementia​​ 

Friday, 23 October​​ 

13:30 – 16:45 (3 hrs plus 15 min break)

Bonnie Wiese, MD, MA, FRCPC; Bryan Chow MD, FRCPC; Ashok Krishnamoorthy, MD, ​​ MRCPsych, FRCPC, FASAM

CanMEDS Roles:​​ 

• Medical Expert​​ 

• Health Advocate​​ 

• Collaborator

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:​​ 1)​​ Provide an update on recent advances in management of depression in older adults; 2) Understand evidence-based approaches to assessing and managing substance use disorders in older adults; and 3) Review current approaches to the management of cognitive and behavioural symptoms of dementia in older adults.

With the aging of the Canadian population increasing,​​ numbers of older adults will be encountering psychiatric services in outpatient, emergency room and inpatient settings. Most older adults will be receiving psychiatric care in general adult mental health services highlighting the importance of general adult psychiatrists having current information on the management of psychiatric disorders with specific considerations for older adults. In this​​ course, members from the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry will provide updates on the management of three common mental health conditions in older adults: substance use disorders, depression and dementia (major neurocognitive disorders). Recent guidelines related to the management of these conditions in older adults will be presented along with practical approaches to the assessment and management of these conditions.​​ 

References:

• Kok RM, Reynolds CF. Management of Depression in Older Adults. JAMA.​​ 2017;317:2114-2122.

• Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health. Canadian Guidelines on Substance Use Disorders and Addiction (Alcohol, Benzodiazepines, Cannabis, and Opiods). 2019.​​ https://ccsmh.ca/substance-use-addiction/alcohol-guidelines/.​​