Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

392 Appendix II Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Geriatric Mental Health
can include population density; age distribution; number of roadways,
railways, and waterways; type of buildings; and local relief
agencies].
*Comprehensive Emergency Management. A broad style of emergency
management, encompassing prevention, preparedness, response, and
recovery.
Comprehensive Mental Status Examination. Assessment of multiple cognitive
functions that provides a detailed cognitive profi le of the patient.
Confrontation Naming. The ability to name an object when shown a
picture of it.
Continuation Treatment. Treatment designed to prevent the return of
the most recent mood episode.
*Crisis Management. Administrative measures that identify, acquire,
and plan the use of resources needed to anticipate, prevent, and/or
resolve a threat to public health and safety.
Cyclothymic Disorder. A mood disorder of at least 2 years’ duration characterized
by numerous periods of mild depressive symptoms not
suffi cient in duration or severity to meet the criteria for major depressive
episodes interspersed with periods of hypomania. Some
view this condition as a mild variant of bipolar disorder.
Delirium. A temporary disordered mental state characterized by the
acute and sudden onset of cognitive impairment, disorientation, disturbances
in attention, decline in level of consciousness, or perceptual
disturbances.
Dementia. A syndrome of progressive decline in multiple areas (domains)
of cognitive function eventually leading to a signifi cant inability
to maintain occupational and social performance. This group of
mental disorders involves a general loss of intellectual abilities, including
memory, judgment, and abstract thinking. There may be associated
poor impulse control and /or personality change. Dementias
may be progressive, reversible, or static and have a variety of causes.
Direct Costs. The expense of diagnostic, treatment, and care services.
*Disaster. Any event, typically occurring suddenly, that causes damage,
ecological disruption, loss of human life, deterioration of health
and health services, and which exceeds the capacity of the affected