Psychiatry of Old Age (PSYT90004)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 18.75On Campus (Parkville) and Online
About this subject
Contact information
January
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us
January
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us
Overview
| Availability | January - On Campus January - Online |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject is a core subject in Year 3 of the Masters of Psychiatry program. Ten weeks focus directly on the clinical and research aspects of Old Age Psychiatry – psychiatric disorders as they present in the older age group (>65 years). The teaching will promote development of a clinical style that delivers care to this population in a positive, compassionate and patient-centred manner and with an awareness of their needs. The old age component of the unit will address the interaction of ageing and mental health, epidemiological and demographical aspects of ageing in Australia and worldwide, the social construction of ageing, individual experiences of ageing, ageing and mental health of indigenous Australians, physical and psychological consequences of ageing, families and ageing, sexuality and ageing, death and dying, common cognitive and functional disorders in the elderly, physical health, pharmacology and ageing and service provision to the elderly with a mental illness. An additional 2 weeks within this subject will be more practical sessions; in which themes of the Capstone Special Topics in Psychiatry Subject will be introduced. In these sessions, students will build upon their concepts of the vocational aspects of psychiatry as they move towards advanced training.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Compare and contrast the common psychiatric issues that affect older people, their presentation, differential diagnoses, assessment, basic management and outcomes.
- Formulate a comprehensive psychiatric assessment following on from a clinical interview of older persons to effectively assess mental state with particular reference to cognitive function.
- Analyse and apply the skills necessary to manage common psychiatric disorders affecting older people and the sensitivity to the social milieu in which the aged person lives with particular reference to the need to support and assist carers of older persons with psychiatric disorders.
- Evaluate the experience of ageing as lived in Australia together with the social, societal and personal implications of the ageing process and range of services that they may require.
- Utilise appropriate referral to other specialists and services (both medical and social) for older people.
Generic skills
- Advanced critical appraisal and clinical analytic skills
- Skills in collaborative working within multidisciplinary teams as well as peers, and across multiple organisations
- Enhanced skills in managing acute as well as complex enduring problems
- Improved written and communication skills
- Improve self-directed learning skills and enhance motivation to innovate and incorporate novel ideas in day-to-day work
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Written assignment including brief literature review - Psychiatry of Old Age focus
| Mid term | 50% |
Essay - set topic will focus on vocational aspects of the psychiatrist role (Capstone)
| End of the teaching period | 50% |
| Hurdle requirement: Either: 3 RANZCP Workplace Based Assessments (WBAs) by workplace supervisors OR 3 Workplace Practical Activity Log sheets (WPALs) to be completed by a suitable peer and checked by the subject coordinator after submission. | During the teaching period and up to two weeks after the subject has concluded | N/A |
| Hurdle requirement: 75% attendance of sessions (for face to face students) OR 75% completion of online modules (for online students). | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- January - On Campus
Principal coordinator Alby Elias Coordinator Mahesh Jayaram Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 12 weeks x 3.5-hour seminars Total time commitment 250 hours Pre teaching requirements During the pre-teaching period, students should familiarise themselves with the online platform and may like to take the opportunity to read through preliminary information about the subject and the services and support that is available to them. Students are encouraged to use this time to also introduce themselves to peers and teaching staff and to learn about those they will be studying with throughout the term. Teaching period 27 January 2025 to 18 April 2025 Last self-enrol date 12 February 2025 Census date 21 February 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 11 April 2025 Assessment period ends 16 May 2025 January contact information
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us - January - Online
Principal coordinator Alby Elias Mode of delivery Online Contact hours 5 Total time commitment 250 hours Pre teaching start date 20 January 2025 Pre teaching requirements Students will familiarise themselves with the online platform which will provide an overview of the subject, assessment requirements and expected activities and behaviours. They will also be provided with information about studying online and informed about the University resources available to them. Teaching period 27 January 2025 to 18 April 2025 Last self-enrol date 21 January 2025 Census date 14 February 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 4 April 2025 Assessment period ends 16 May 2025 January contact information
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us
Time commitment details
250 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Jacoby & Oppenheimer (2002) Psychiatry in the Elderly, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition.
Henderson S. & Jorm F. (1998) Dementia in Australia, Australian Government Publishing Service.
Lishman, A. (1997) Organic Psychiatry, 3rd Edition Blackwell.
Recommended texts and other resources
Burns A., O'Brien J. T. and Ames D. (2005) Dementia (3rd edition), Hodder
Evans & Williams, Oxford Textbook of Geriatric Medicine, Oxford University Press
- Subject notes
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (CAP), subject to applicants meeting the entry requirements for the course.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Psychiatry Course Master of Psychiatry - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025