Program overview
The Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry is a fully formed 12-month advanced training program that provides mental health care professionals with specialized expertise in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of mental health conditions in older adults. The program uses a structured approach to online learning and clinical training, with exposure to areas of dementia, depression, anxiety disorders, delirium, late-life psychosis, sleep disorders, and neurocognitive syndromes. Fellows develop real-life practice through supervision, case discussions, multi-disciplinary team work, and evidence-based practices. The fellowship is focused on geriatric mental health, ethical issues in healthcare, support for mental health caregivers, and innovations in neuropsychiatry to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to provide high-quality mental healthcare for the elderly.
What Skills You Will Gain
Dementia, delirium, depression, anxiety and late life psychotic disorders, advanced assessment and diagnosis.
Specialty in cognitive screening instruments such as MMSE, MoCA and functional assessment scales.
Geriatric psychopharmacology, medication safety, deprescribing and polypharmacy skills.
Skills in providing psychotherapies for older people (CBT, IPT, reminiscence therapy, supportive psychotherapy).
Distinguish psychiatric problems from neurological and medical problems in elderly.
Experience in working with geriatricians, neurologists, psychologists, social workers and caregivers in multi-disciplinary care management.
Education on neuroimaging, biomarkers and new diagnostic tools for neurocognitive disorders.
Understanding of ethical and/or legal issues relating to geriatric mental health services, including capacity assessment and guardianship.
Experiences with sleep disturbances, behavioural issues of dementia, palliative psychiatry and end-of-life mental health issues.
Expertise in telepsychiatry, digital mental health resources and remote cognitive evaluation of older people.
Career Outcome
Gain the skills of becoming an expert in geriatric psychiatry and mental health care of the elderly.
Improve employment prospects in hospitals, memory units, geriatric psychiatric facilities and long-term care facilities.
Develop skills in supervising multi-professional teams in the management of complex psychiatric and neurocognitive conditions in older adults.
Improve the professional qualifications in academic, teaching and research positions in psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, gerontology.
Clinical experience to complement independent practice in geriatric mental health services.
Help out with dementia care projects, community mental health, and elders’ wellness programs.
Enhance preparedness for leadership roles within geriatric mental health departments and health care organizations.
Increase the number of career opportunities in telepsychiatry, palliative psychiatry, and integrated geriatric care programs.
Learn skills to engage in clinical research, quality improvement and evidence-based mental health care projects.
Obtain a recognized fellowship credential in geriatric psychiatry and geriatric mental healthcare demonstrating advanced skills.
What you will learn
Learn from Leading Geriatric Psychiatry Experts
Skill-Based Workshops on Assessment & Management
Flexible Learning for Mental Health Professionals
Future-Ready Geriatric Psychiatry Curriculum
Clinical Training for Real-World Practice
Course curriculum
- Aging and the Brain
- Normal vs. Pathological Aging
- Cognitive Assessment and Screening Tools
- Medical–Psychiatric Interface
- Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry
- Outpatient Geriatric Mental Health Services
- Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
- Memory Clinics and Long-Term Care Facilities
- Palliative and End-of-Life Psychiatry
- Neurostimulation (ECT/TMS)
- Weekly Lectures (Core Topics)
- Case Conferences and Grand Rounds
- Journal Club and Ethics Seminars
- Interdisciplinary Teaching Sessions
- Psychopharmacology in the Elderly
- Non-Pharmacologic Interventions
- Psychotherapies (CBT, IPT, Reminiscence Therapy)
- Behavioral and Environmental Management
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Geriatric Care
- Decision-Making Capacity and Guardianship
- Team-Based and Interdisciplinary Care
- Teaching and Leadership Skills
- Research Methodology and Design
- Quality Improvement Projects
- Scholarly Presentation or Publication
- Mentored Research Time
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Subtypes
- Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)
- Use of Neuroimaging and Biomarkers
- Age-related Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
- Polypharmacy and Deprescribing
- Psychotropic Use in the Elderly
- Medication Safety and Adverse Effects
- Late-Life Depression and Suicide Prevention
- Geriatric Anxiety Disorders and OCD
- Late-Onset Schizophrenia and Delusional Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder in the Elderly
- Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry
- Outpatient Memory and Mood Clinics
- Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Psychiatry
- Home-Based and Community Psychiatry
- Emergency and Crisis Psychiatry in the Elderly
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Reminiscence and Life Review Therapy
- Problem-Solving Therapy (PST)
- Supportive and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Emerging Therapies (VNS, tDCS)
- Ethical Considerations in Somatic Treatments
- Working with Geriatricians, Neurologists, and Primary Care
- Social Work, Occupational Therapy, and Case Management
- Communication Across Teams and Families
- Integrated Care Models
- Recognition and Diagnosis of Delirium
- Differentiating Delirium from Dementia and Depression
- Prevention and Management Strategies
- Prevention and Management Strategies
- Sleep Architecture Changes with Age
- Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and Restless Leg Syndrome
- Psychiatric Implications of Sleep Disorders
- Pharmacologic and Behavioral Treatments
- Genetic Risk Factors in Dementia and Mood Disorders
- Precision Psychiatry in Older Adults
- Role of Genomic Testing and Personalized Medicine
- Ethical Concerns Around Genetic Screening in the Elderly
- Postmenopausal Psychiatric Symptoms
- Hormonal Influences on Mood and Cognition
- Management of Osteoporosis and Sexual Health
- Gender-Specific Approaches to Aging
- Psychiatric Care in Terminal Illness
- Managing Grief, Existential Distress, and Demoralization
- Communication Skills in End-of-Life Conversations
- Supporting Caregivers and Families
- Telepsychiatry in Long-Term Care and Rural Settings
- Tech Literacy, Access, and Barriers in Geriatric Patients
- Remote Cognitive Assessments and Monitoring
- Legal and Ethical Considerations in Digital Care
- Conversion and Somatoform Disorders
- Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis
- Intersection with Chronic Pain and Disability
- Multidisciplinary Treatment Approaches