Book Review: The Old Age Psychiatry Handbook

Today’s reviewed book is ‘The Old Age Psychiatry Handbook’ by Joanne Rodda, Niall Boyce and Zuzana Walker all based at University College London at the time of writing of the book.

The book is 303 pages long and has a clear layout with tables and boxes where appropriate. The book is well thought out and as it’s title suggests is geared towards being a practical guide to old age psychiatry. Broadly speaking the book is divided into sections on assessment, diagnostic categories, treatments and legal issues.

The authors reference standard works throughout the book including ICD-10 and the NICE guidelines. Sometimes these are relevant not only to the elderly but also to the general adult population. I found the strengths of the book to lie in the chapters on dementia and physical illness which are both very important topics in the Old Age Psychiatry particularly for those with general adult experience who are new to the specialty.

Another strength of the book is that there is an abundance of information covering a multitude of clinically relevant areas. Thus information can be found quickly in one place rather than searching through several textbooks. Needless to say this can be quite useful in busy clinical situations. I would recommend this book for those starting out in Old Age Psychiatry.

References

Rodda J, Boyce N and Walker Z. The Old Age Psychiatry Handbook – A Practical Guide. Wiley. 2008

Disclaimer

The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor.