Psychiatric emergencies in the geriatric population.

Failure to recognize psychiatric conditions in any age group particularly in the elderly could lead to a very complicated clinical picture and may lead to increased health expenditures. Psychiatric emergencies can be secondary to numerous factors: geriatric depression and suicide, behavioral disturbance secondary to underlying organic conditions, substance abuse, elder abuse, and medication-induced adverse events. This article discusses mainly geriatric depression, elder abuse, and conditions emanating from iatrogenic causes.