Mood disorders in late life

This chapter discusses how clinicians will need to prepare for a worldwide exponentially growing aging community by describing the current scope of practices with respect to the assessment and treatment mood disorders, including minor and major depression. Particularly for those in later life, the meaningful interpretation of standardized assessment scores requires consideration of medical and neurological complexities. Clinicians must be flexible not only with respect to characterization, but especially with respect to treatment, given the inherent challenges associated with access to care and the range of disability amongst these individuals. Indeed, these late-life individuals are typically assessed in a similar fashion to younger adults (which may obscure meaningful interpretations), making understanding the nuances underlying existing behavioral and pharmaceutical approaches an essential endeavor.