Treating older adults with interpersonal psychotherapy for depression

Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression (IPT) is a brief psychotherapy that has been found to be effective in treating major depressive disorder (MDD) and other problems in younger adults. In recent years. IPT has been used as a psychotherapy for depressed elderly. With its emphasis on addressing interpersonally relevant problems, IPT appears especially well suited to the life changes that many people experience in their later years. Consistent with results of research studies, I have found in clinical practice that IPT is effective in treating depression in older adults. In this article I describe IPT treatment of an elderly woman who developed MDD following the onset of dementia in her husband and the challenges she faced in making transitions in her role as caregiver.