Psychosocial Characteristics as Perceived by Families in North Indian Community.

National or Caste group characteristics typify psycho-social characteristics of that group. These typifying psycho-social characteristics, whether of individuals or of families or of small or big groups, have tremendous predictive value in determining interventional outcomes. Systematic studies to discern distinguishing features of population subgroups vis-à-vis domicile, socio economic status (SES), gender etc. practically non-existent. . Psycho-social characteristics determine behavioural expressions in day to day living. In a separate large scale study entitled “A Study of the Impact of Behavioural Interventions on Illness Breeding Behaviors” funded by World Bank through Uttar Pradesh Health System Development Project; Lucknow, 1134 families drawn on stratified random basis from rural and urban areas of Barabanki, Mujaffarnagar and Gorakhpur districts of Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) were studied along various psycho-social characteristics to study the differences, if any, between the population subgroups. The data revealed significant differences between the population sub-groups along several psychosocial characteristics. The findings are discussed.

Psychotherapeutic Approaches in the Management of Elderlies with Dementia An Overview.

The population of the world in 1995 was 5.7 billion and it is expected to reach 10.8 billion by 2050. The percentage of older people in the world population is expected to increase rapidly from 9.5 in 1995 to 20.7 in 2050 and to 30.5 in 2150. In absolute numbers, India’s elderly population is expected to increase from 76 million in 2000 to 327 million in 2050. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in old age and burden of care will further increase as the proportion of elderly persons in the India population increases over the next 50 years. Now, attention of mental health professionals should be focused on to plan and provide better care in the management of old age psychiatric disorders. From the management point of view cognitive disorders are more challenging psychiatric disorders of the old age. Dementia is one of them. Successful management of patients with dementia requires a broad range of tasks. These tasks help to maximize the patient’s level of functioning and to assure the safety and comfort of patients and their families in the context of living with a difficult disease. The topic provides an overview of psychotherapeutic approaches and its effectiveness in the management of elderly dementia patients.