[Health & Wellness] Demystifying Depression in Older Adults

While not a normal part of aging, up to 20% of older adults have symptoms of depression. These rates increase to 40% for those in hospital or living in long-term care.

Join psychiatrists Drs. Sophiya Benjamin and Anthony Levinson for an enlightening webinar that aims to demystify the complexities surrounding late-life depression, exploring its causes, symptoms, and the unique challenges it presents, such as the impact of coexisting chronic illnesses. You’ll learn about how depression is assessed and diagnosed, as well as treatment and management strategies, including preventative measures and helpful resources.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Sophiya Benjamin is an Associate Professor at McMaster University. She is a geriatric psychiatrist serving seniors with dementia at the Specialized Mental Health Program at the Freeport site of Grand River Hospital. She is the Schlegel Chair in Mental Health and Aging at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) and co-founder and co-executive director of GeriMedRisk, a Ministry of Health-funded, clinical and education service that helps doctors and nurse practitioners across Ontario with questions about medications in older persons.

Host Bio:

Dr. Anthony Levinson is a Professor at McMaster University and a physician who works in the area of consultation-liaison psychiatry in Hamilton, Ontario. As the Director of the Division of e-Learning Innovation in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Levinson develops and studies internet-based solutions to deliver high-quality health educational experiences to both the public and healthcare professionals. As part of the leadership team for the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, he leads the design and development of multimedia content, including online learning about various topics related to healthy aging. He was recently awarded a grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada to study and develop web-based resources to educate Canadians about dementia risk reduction (dementiarisk.ca).