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geriatric mental health

Physician Spotlight 4: Dr. Miriam Winthrop

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Miriam Winthrop, MD

Physician Spotlight In today’s physician spotlight we highlight Dr. Miriam Winthrop, one of our newest psychiatrists at the Mental Health Center. Dr. Winthrop is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in general adult psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry.  About Dr. Miriam Winthrop Dr. Winthrop believes in taking a holistic approach to addressing mental health. In addition to her expertise in the use of medications, she has extensive training in multiple types of psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioral and insight-oriented modalities. Dr. Winthrop has extensive experience working with a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, dementia-related concerns, and end-of-life issues. Dr. Winthrop completed her undergraduate education at Dartmouth College and received her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. She completed her residency in adult psychiatry at LAC+USC Medical Center. She completed her fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. …

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Talking to a Loved One About Memory Decline

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memory

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Memory Decline If you’re reading this blog post, you’ve likely noticed a loved one’s memory declining and may wonder if this is an indication of a developing neurocognitive disorder like dementia. Maybe you’ve noticed cognitive changes in a grandparent or great-grandparent, a parent, a sibling, or a friend. Early signs of a neurocognitive disorder are personality changes, trouble with memory, reduced gaze, trouble managing money, engaging in repetitive behaviors, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, poor decision making, and trouble with finding the right words; perhaps some of these symptoms are jumping out at you. You may want to address your concerns or your loved one’s concerns about their memory so that they feel less alone. Here are some tips on how to navigate the conversation and connect your loved one with good care: Preparation Before having the conversation, you may want to consider whether they have already inquired about …

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5 Benefits of Geriatric Home Visits

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memory

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Geriatric Healthcare Geriatric healthcare is the attentive medical care given to those over the age of 65 who are also referred to as seniors. Many individuals don’t seek geriatric healthcare until well into their 70s, 80s, or even 90s. A subspecialty in geriatric healthcare is geriatric psychiatry, as geriatric mental healthcare is a crucial aspect of geriatric healthcare in general. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes geriatric psychiatry as addressing the “biological and psychological aspects of normal aging, the psychiatric effect of acute and chronic physical illness, and the biological and psychosocial aspects of the pathology of primary psychiatric disturbances of older age” (APA, 2021).  Main focal points in geriatric psychiatry pertain to the “prevention, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders in the elderly and improvement of psychiatric care for healthy and ill elderly patients” (APA, 2021). Some of the most common psychiatric …

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Geriatric Mental Health and Home Visits

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memory

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Geriatric Healthcare Geriatric healthcare is the attentive medical care given to those over the age of 65 who are also referred to as seniors. Many individuals don’t seek geriatric healthcare until well into their 70s, 80s, or even 90s. A subspecialty in geriatric healthcare is geriatric psychiatry, as geriatric mental healthcare is a crucial aspect of geriatric healthcare in general. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes geriatric psychiatry as addressing the “biological and psychological aspects of normal aging, the psychiatric effect of acute and chronic physical illness, and the biological and psychosocial aspects of the pathology of primary psychiatric disturbances of older age” (APA, 2021).  Main focal points in geriatric psychiatry pertain to the “prevention, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders in the elderly and improvement of psychiatric care for healthy and ill elderly patients” (APA, 2021). Some of the most common psychiatric …

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