scholarly journals Practice eligible route for certification in geriatric psychiatry: why some Canadian psychiatrists are disinterested in writing the RCPSC subspeciality examination?

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1749-1750
Author(s):  
Vincent Laliberté ◽  
Mark J. Rapoport ◽  
Kiran Rabheru ◽  
Soham Rej
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Royal College ◽  
Geriatric Psychiatry ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Fellowship Programs ◽  
Year 2013

Geriatric psychiatry was officially recognized as a subspecialty by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) in 2009, with the first RCPSC exam written in 2013 (Andrew and Shea, 2010). The unique mental health needs of Canadians’ seniors requires geriatric psychiatrists trained to address them (Herrmann, 2004), but current rates of recruitment in informal fellowship programs have been inadequate (Bragg et al., 2012). One hope of subspeciality recognition was to increase recruitment in Canada, but there have been some challenges in accrediting psychiatrists already caring for older adults. Many currently practicing geriatric psychiatrists have elected to take the Royal College examination, with >120 graduates in the first year, 2013, but others have been more ambivalent. In this letter, we perform a preliminary exploration of the prevalence and correlates of disinterest in completing the RCPSC geriatric psychiatry examination.

SWiFT: A Rapid Triage Tool for Vulnerable Older Adults in Disaster Situations

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (S1) ◽  
pp. S45-S50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmel B. Dyer ◽  
Mor Regev ◽  
Jason Burnett ◽  
Nicolo Festa ◽  
Beth Cloyd
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hurricane Katrina ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Rapid Determination ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Needs

ABSTRACTBackground: In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage to parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, causing many people, including vulnerable older adults, to evacuate to safe surroundings. Approximately 23,000 evacuees—many of them 65 years old or older, frail, and lacking family to advocate for their care—arrived at the Reliant Astrodome Complex in Houston, Texas. There was no method for assessing the immediate and long-term needs of this vulnerable population.Methods: A 13-item rapid needs assessment tool was piloted on 228 evacuees 65 years old and older by the Seniors Without Families Team (SWiFT), to test the feasibility of triaging vulnerable older adults with medical and mental health needs, financial needs, and/or social needs.Results: The average age of the individuals triaged was 66.1 ± 12.72 (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) years. Of these, 68% were triaged for medical and or mental health needs, 18% were triaged for financial assistance, and 4% were triaged for social assistance. More than half of the SWiFT-triaged older adults reported having hypertension.Conclusions: The SWiFT tool is a feasible approach for triaging vulnerable older adults and provides a rapid determination of the level of need or assistance necessary for vulnerable older people during disasters. The tool was only piloted, thus further testing to determine reliability and validity is necessary. Potentially important implications for using such a tool and suggestions for preparing for and responding to disaster situations in which vulnerable older adults are involved are provided. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2008;2(Suppl 1):S45–S50)

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