20 May 2019 Life expectancy is much longer these days and there are more than two million Portuguese over 65. It makes a lot of sense for medicine to differentiate and improve so that it can offer health solutions for this population. Psychogeriatrics, or geriatric psychiatry, is an area in general psychiatry that devotes special attention to the specificities of elderly patients . A geriatric psychiatrist has experience in dealing with several psychiatric conditions: In the elderly, sometimes with very different symptoms from those of younger people; In polymedicated patients because they often have comorbidities, in which pharmacology has important specificities; In patients who often have cognitive deficits or dementia. Psychogeriatrics deals with: Depression and other mood disorders in the elderly; End-of-life problems; Behavioural aspects of cognitive deficits and dementia; Other psychiatric disorders of the elderly. The goal is to take care of the safety and mental quality of mind of people who will tend to be an increasingly large part of the population in developed countries. This article was written with the support of physicians and other clinical professionals from the Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
