University of Pittsburgh Researchers to Present Latest Findings and Treatments for Late-Life Depression, Bereavement and Dementia

Depression, delirium and dementia are common problems experienced later in age and are often associated with decreased quality of life, disability and premature death from both suicide and illness. With western Pennsylvania having one of the oldest populations in the country, it is essential that those who care for the elderly be aware of the latest research and treatment developments.

To address this need, the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine will hold a day-long educational conference for psychiatrists, primary care physicians, geriatricians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, consulting pharmacists and other professionals who care for older adults. The seminar, titled “Late-Life Depression, Dementia and Bereavement: Integration of Research, Teaching and Clinical Care,” will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5 at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, 4141 Fifth Ave., Oakland.

Speakers at the conference will address recent advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of depression, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in late life. They also will discuss the challenges of recognizing and managing these disorders in community settings, such as nursing homes and rehabilitation clinics.

M. Katherine Shear, M.D., will give the keynote address, “The Interface of Bereavement and Depression.” Dr. Shear, who is the Marion E. Kenworthy Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University School of Social Work, and formerly of the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is a renowned expert in the field of bereavement and grief.

The conference is supported by the Advanced Center for Interventions and Services Research for Late-Life Mood Disorders, the John A. Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry, the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Geriatric Education Center of Pennsylvania, the Institute on Aging in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Late-Life Depression Treatment Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences.