Group therapy in older adults.

Group therapy is a well-established therapeutic modality for older individuals often conducted in combination with individual psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Group leaders must be aware of age-specific factors when working with older cohorts, including the presence of cognitive impairment, physical disability, and loss of independence. A limited number of outcome studies have found that various forms of group therapy in late life are generally efficacious for depression and other symptoms and compare favorably with individual psychotherapy.