Behavioral Treatment of the Elderly

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
One's concept of aging and the methodology used to assess change are crucial to the development of effective treatment strategies for problems of the elderly. This review discusses these issues as they are related to a critical evaluation of behavioral interventions with the elderly. Behavioral interventions are demonstrated to be as effective in producing beneficial changes for the elderly as they are with other populations. It is not clear how long-lasting these changes are or which specific techniques are most effective. The most important conclusion drawn from this literature is that the environment plays a major role not only in the development and maintenance but also in the prevention of behavioral decline in the elderly. Consequently, such decline should not be assumed an inevitable result of age.