Educational Objectives:

• Recognize the signs of depression and anxiety in older adults, distinguish them from normal aging or chronic illness, and identify early intervention strategies that improve outcomes.
• Recognize how depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric symptoms may appear
  before or during memory loss and understand why early recognition leads to better support and care planning.
• Identify what Delirium is, why it is often overlooked outside the hospital, and how
  noticing changes early can lead to better health outcomes.
• Identify what Delirium is, why it is often overlooked outside the hospital, and how
  noticing changes early can lead to better health outcomes.
• Recognize that substance use disorders can occur in older adults, why they’re often
  overlooked, and how recognizing the signs can lead to better support and treatment.
• Discuss how aging affects sleep - including lighter sleep, earlier waking, and less deep sleep—and how to tell the difference between normal changes and potential sleep disorders.
• Discuss how pain can be managed in older adults through a combination of
  medications, therapies, and supportive care that addresses the whole person, not just symptoms.
• Identify why doctors regularly review medications in older adults, and how reducing risky prescriptions can improve safety and quality of life for people with memory loss or frailty.
• Explore what to expect regarding the process of hospitalization, length of stay,
  therapeutic intensity, and legal holds (voluntary vs. involuntary).
• Review the challenges faced by nursing homes and other LTC settings in caring for residents who have both memory loss and psychiatric or behavioral symptoms, and learn how a compassionate, whole-person approach can improve outcomes.
• Analyze articles with key takeaways for practice