An integrative group therapy model for depression and anxiety in later life

Research shows that elderly patients are fully capable of benefiting from psychotherapy, and often prefer this non-pharmacological treatment option. Further, there is consensus among geriatric clinicians and researchers that a group format for psychotherapy is likely especially helpful for the elderly. In this paper, we describe a unique group therapy program for elderly patients referred to a community outpatient setting for depression and/or anxiety. This integrated group therapy program, unlike existing programs, combines a more structured cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) with a more process-oriented interpersonal therapy (IPT), specifically targeting the coexistence of depression and anxiety in the elderly. We present two cases of prototypical patients benefiting from the program, and also provide preliminary empirical support for the effectiveness of this group program.