Update all your knowledge about Psychogeriatrics through TECH and implement the most important advances of this medical discipline in your professional practice”

In a very short time, medical sciences have contributed to the development of psychological, psychiatric and neuronal intervention strategies focused on the elderly. From these advances in Psychogeriatrics, innovative medical supplements have appeared against seizures, emotional disorders, agitation, confusion, dementia, among other pathologies that affect the mental health status of elderly patients. Paradoxically, most specialists do not have the proper update on these aspects, which means that their professional practice is limited to techniques and procedures that have already been surpassed by the most recent scientific evidence.

TECH, in its eagerness to contribute to the preparation of physicians from excellence, has designed this Internship program in Psychogeriatrics. This academic modality is integrated by a stay, face-to-face and intensive, in a renowned hospital center. The educational process will have an extension of 120 hours, distributed in days from Monday to Friday, to complete 3 weeks. In the institutions chosen for the program, the graduates will find first level health care resources. Through them, they will exercise rigorous procedures and academic endorsement, for the management of real geriatric patients with various pathologies related to their mental health condition.

At the same time, they will be able to discuss the means of approach with experts of distinguished experience who are part of the staffs of these facilities. With their advice, the physician will get the necessary update and become familiar with the most complex dynamics of this healthcare practice. In turn, an assistant tutor will be in charge of monitoring all progress, integrating new tasks of greater complexity to the educational process. Upon completion, the healthcare professional will be ready to take on challenges in his or her career and provide the most comprehensive care for patients.

Enjoy an intensive 3-week internship at a prestigious center and update yourself on the latest clinical procedures in order to grow professionally"

This Internship program in Psychogeriatrics comprises consecutive 8-hour days, from Monday to Friday, to complete 3 educational weeks. Throughout this period, the specialist will develop a face-to-face and intensive stay in a first level hospital center. This health institution also stands out for having a prestigious medical team, whose members keep abreast of the latest trends in this scientific discipline.

In this completely practical Internship program, the activities are aimed at developing and perfecting the skills necessary to provide healthcare in areas and conditions that require highly qualified professionals, and are oriented towards specific expertise for practicing the activity, in a safe environment for the patient and with highly professional performance.

In this way, TECH provides the most personalized and focused guidance for the professional who wishes to expand their practical skills. On the other hand, all educational progress will be supervised by an assistant tutor. This expert will be in charge of clarifying doubts and concepts of interest, inserting the specialist in different work dynamics that will be indispensable for the updating of his practice or assistance unit.

The practical teaching will be done with the accompaniment and guidance of professors and other fellow trainees that facilitate teamwork and multidisciplinary integration as transversal competencies for medical praxis (learning to be and learning to relate).

The procedures described below will be the basis of the specialization, and their realization will be subject to the center's own availability, its usual activity and workload, the proposed activities being the following:

State-of-the-art Assessment and Diagnosis in the Elderly 

• Develop neurological examinations to assess the state of cognitive areas related to language, executive and visuospatial functions.
• Analyze the social and family networks in which the geriatric patient develops in order to intervene positively on them
• Identify neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with dementia through a detailed examination of pathologies such as depression and stress in patients
• Examine the geriatric patient's abilities to sustain motor coordination, autonomy of movement, and the ability to travel or move about
• Develop genetic diagnostics and deploy decision-making algorithms according to clinical phenotypes
• Screen for vitamin B12 deficiency by laboratory testing in patients with signs of dementia

Strategies of Intervention in Psychogeriatrics 

• Change through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy the negative thought and behavioral patterns that may contribute to anxiety, depression and stress in the elderly
• Provide a safe and confidential space, through Supportive Therapy, for the elderly to discuss their concerns, fears and doubts related to aging
• Teach the elderly various relaxation techniques, Mindfulness and Meditation to help them become more aware of their thoughts, emotions and sensations
• Provide meaningful and rewarding activities through Occupational Therapy and Recreational Therapy to help the elderly maintain their quality of life
• Implement psychological care via the Internet, which may be useful for elderly people who live in remote areas and are unable to travel frequently

Latest Trends in Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Approach to Dementias 

• Prescribe cholinesterase inhibitors to activate neurotransmitters involved in memory and sense of reality
• Consider the use of antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, sedatives or neuroleptics in case of detection of dementias such as Alzheimer's disease
• Apply combinations of psychotropic drugs such as mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, atypical antipsychotics in patients with bipolar disorder
• Implement the use of opioids and adjuvant analgesics in Terminal Sedation strategies for elderly patients at end of life

Get trained in an institution that can offer you all these possibilities, with an innovative academic program and a human team capable of developing you to the maximum”