Resources

The APA recently posted tips for first-time teachers, aimed at graduate students who are starting to teach undergraduate psychology courses. The story also includes a link to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology's website.

On February 10th, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released the proposed draft of diagnostic criteria for DSM-5 on its website www.dsm5.org. Publication of the new DSM is scheduled for May 2013. The proposed diagnostic criteria will be available on the website for public comment until April 20, 2010. APA is inviting health professionals, consumers of mental health services, and family members to visit the site to review and comment on the draft criteria.

Great (free!) resource for family members and professional caregivers about observing and talking about pain in people with dementia, including an on-line presentation and resource packet.

The APA Office on Aging recently updated their on-line resource guide for Depression and Suicide in Older Adults. It features empirical journal articles, books, book chapters, and several links to resources for consumers.

Summer is a great time to make a dent in the pile of books that I want to read, but never get a chance to throughout the academic year. In June, I read Dr. Irvin Yalom's most recent book, "Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death." Yes, this is the type of book I read for fun. :-)

The book outlines Yalom's approach to the universal issue of mortality, which is especially salient for many of the older adults we see at the CU Aging Center. Yalom is a gifted psychotherapist and writer who uses accessible language and several case examples to illustrate his points. Here are a few of the ideas I found most interesting:

- There is a "positive correlation between fear of death and the sense of unlived life" (p. 49).

- An "awakening experience" (p. 36) can jerk us out of the everyday mode of life to an ontological mode where we are more mindful of being. These experiences might include grief over the loss of someone important, a major life milestone, a life-threatening illness, etc.

- "Rippling" (p. 83) refers to the concept that we all leave behind something from our life experience (e.g., a piece of wisdom, guidance, comfort) that passes on to others, known or unknown.

The last third of the book gives advice to therapists on how to address death anxiety with their clients, but any reader would likely appreciate Yalom's words.

Yalom, I. D. (2008). Staring at the sun: Overcoming the terror of death. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Most people don't like thinking about, let alone actually planning for, the end of their lives. The legal aspects of end-of-life planning are confusing, even for those who think their wishes are clear (see How Clear Are Your Last Wishes). Fortunately, there are many resources on the web that can help to make the process more understandable. Here are a few to check out:

1) The Mayo Clinic: has definitions for living wills, advance directives, and treatment decisions that need to be made

2) Caring Connections: program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has links to state-specific documents and information on how to talk with your loved ones

3) Five Wishes: a popular living will document with easy-to-understand language

Dr. Ken Pope has compiled a cross-disciplinary list of over 100 links to complete copies of codes, guidelines, and standards for psychotherapy and assessment.

CNN.com put out an article today on older adults and the dangers of polypharmacy (see "Is Grandma Drugged Up?"). It includes several links to websites where you can find lists of medications that often cause problems for older adults, check drug interactions, and find professionals who review medications. While these resources can help older adults and their caregivers become more informed, obviously, no changes in medication should be made without consulting a physician.

The Alzheimer's Association recently released new information on Alzheimer's Disease in the United States. The report has a simple overview of dementia along with prevalence rates, information on family caregiving, the use and costs of care, mortality rates, and a special section on lifetime risk.