Ken Laidlaw and Bob Knight have collected in their handbook articles from various experts in the field of epidemiology, psychology and psychotherapy, which give a useful overview of topics on emotional disorders in older adults. This volume provides some valuable guidance for assessment and psychotherapeutic work with clients in the later phases of their lives. It can be recommended for health professionals who work with elderly clients, such as psychotherapists, psychologists, nurses and psychiatrists.

The book is structured in four parts, which build on each other creating a suitable framework for the reader working in the care of elderly patients. The first part introduces aspects of psychological ageing. K. Warner Schaie describes a developmental perspective on ageing by summarizing some of the main findings of his Seattle Longitudinal Study. In the articles that follow, themes of normal and abnormal ageing in cognitive, emotional and interpersonal domains are then further developed. Finally, a theory of contextual life span is introduced alongside the description of various concepts relevant to therapeutic practice, such as cohort-related beliefs.

In the second part, a chapter is dedicated to each of five major therapy modalities: CBT, schema-focused approaches, interpersonal, psychodynamic and systemic approaches, the latter having an emphasis on caregiver family therapy. The third part of the book describes the assessment and treatment of common conditions such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and bereavement in the elderly population. The last part focuses on the emotional sequelae of conditions frequently associated with ageing, for example dementia-related affective disturbances, depression in Parkinson's Disease, and depression and anxiety after a stroke.

One of the strengths of the book is that the various contributions are consistently supported by a comprehensive literature review. Many of the chapters contain case reports that support and illustrate the content and give life to the material. However, perhaps not surprisingly for a multi-author book, the practical applicability varies significantly. For instance, Broomfield et al.'s chapter on insomnia combines an excellent system for the assessment of sleep disorders and a hands-on treatment guide. Others do not go beyond the identification of relevant studies, or focus too much on their own models and treatment trials.

The book provides a thorough discussion of the assessment of depression and anxiety in general and specific co-morbid conditions, a topic that is paramount when working with elderly clients in and outside the mental health field. Some of the newer measurement tools, such as the PDQ9 and the GAD7, despite being validated for people over 65 years, are not included. This is unfortunate considering their growing importance in the UK in connection with the Improved Access to Psychological Therapy Programme. Although CBT possesses the largest evidence base in treating clients of that age group, this book strikes a good balance in its description of the practical uses of CBT whilst including other interventions such as interpersonal therapy for bereavement work or systemic family therapy.

Written by and directed towards a Pan-Atlantic audience, the book offers the opportunity to compare and contrast different health systems. As a UK-based practitioner it was very interesting to read about North American expertise in understanding and integrating cultural aspects into the treatment of elderly people from ethnic minorities. Since this population is projected to grow disproportionately over the next decade in Europe, this knowledge will become very relevant for therapists in the UK and mainland Europe. However, sometimes the opportunity for cross-cultural comparison was missed. For example, had the difference between the US and UK in suicide rates of older people been explored, it could have led to additional insights and possible prevention strategies.

This is a good survey of relevant articles covering the area of depression, anxiety and associated conditions in older adults. I would suggest that the reader seeks additional authority where they need greater detail in any of the specific topics covered. However, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to gain on overview of the existing studies and treatment modalities for clients in later phases of their lives.