Evidence suggests that depression is associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality and adversely affects the quality of life and social functioning (Katona, 1994). Some of these patients do not move about much, and with depression added to this premise, the transition from what these patients were used to, to a completely new environment is usually traumatic. Nursing care providers can ease the trauma felt by these new arrivals by conducting assessments to determine whether these individuals are suffering from depression, so as to remedy this malady as soon as possible. Depression affects approximately 5% of the population at any one time, with depressive symptoms being more common in people over 65, with prevalence estimates ranging from 10 to 15% (Baldwin, 1995). Depression in nursing homes has been recognized as especially problematic states Ames, (1994). Depression is not a normal consequence of aging, and it is known to be under-recognized and under-treated, especially in hospitals, outpatient settings, and nursing homes. (Patry, 2004). Problem Background Older people entering long-term care facilities face major adjustment challenges and are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems (Murphy, 1982; Mikhail, 1992; Manion & Rantz, 1995). Newly admitted residents in long-term care facilities are particularly vulnerable to depression and the early recognition and treatment of depression is therefore crucial around the time of admission to a home. (Bagley et al., 2000). By day 14 of their nursing home stay, thirty-eight percents of the admitted residents sampled in a study conducted by Boyle et al. (2004) were positive for depressive symptoms. Depression then is still a highly significant problem among those admitted to a nursing home. (Boyle, 2004). In contrast, the authors’ stated that depression recognition in the nursing homes has improved. Michigan's Quality Improvement Organization (MPRO) conducted a study of 14 nursing facilities to improve the accuracy of assessments, targeting, and monitoring of care. 69% of participants were female 46% were 76-85 and 37% were 86 or older. Among men, 24% were age 75 or younger 51% were 76-85 and 25% were 86 or older. It was found that out of 818 residents, 313 (38%) had depressive symptoms by day 14. Out of the 313, 213 (68%) were admitted with a diagnosis of depression. (Boyle, et al., 2004). The nursing homes in this study use the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to assess symptoms of depression; however, its use is highly selective. (Boyle, et al., 2004). The authors stated that additional research in developing strategies to ensure continuity of care to people across treatment settings would be useful.
Long-term care (LTC) covers a wide range of clinical and social services for those who need assistance due to functional limitations. These limitations usually result from complications associated with age related chronic conditions, from disabilities related to birth defects, brain damage, or mental retardation in children; or from major illnesses or injuries suffered by adults (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). LTC encompasses a variety of services including traditional clinical services, social services and housing. Unlike acute care, long-term care is much more complicated and has objectives that are much harder to measure. Acute care mainly focuses on returning patients to their previous functional level and is primarily provided by specialty providers. However, LTC mainly focuses on preventing the physical and mental deterioration of an individual and promoting social adjustments to suit the different stages of decline. In addition the providers of LTC are more diverse than those in acute care and is offered in both formal and informal settings, which include: hospitals, physicians, home care, adult day care, nursing home care, assisted living and even informal caregivers such as friends and family members. Long-term care services have been dominated by community based services, which include informal care (86%, about 10 to 11 million) and formal institutional care delivered in nursing facilities (14%, 1.6 million) (McCall, 2001). Of more than the 10 million Americans estimated to require LTC services, 58% are elderly and 42% are under the age of 65 (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). The users of LTC are either frail elderly or disabled and because of the specific care needs of this population, the care varies based on an indiv...
Depression is an illness within itself that affects the “whole body”. (Staywell,1998) The body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior are all immensely altered when someone is depressed. It is not a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be wished or willed away. For some people depression is just temporary, but for others it can last for weeks, months and even years.
Every older people suffering from dementia or any mental illness should contribute to decision-making process if able on about the services the resident gets and is empowered to practice choice and control over his or her way of life. Healthcare professionals need to offer residents with dementia significant parts in making their own particular care plans. We should give the majority of the residents as much decision as possible around both their care and environment.
Darby, S. Marr, J. Crump, A Scurfield, M (1999) Older People, Nursing & Mental Health. Oxford: Buterworth-Heinemann.
Depression is a common mental disorder that affects approximately 350 million people worldwide (World Health Organization (WHO), 2014). At its worst, depression may lead to suicide, with an approximate 1 million deaths per year (WHO, 2014). Since depression is a mood disorder, it can affect many aspects of health, and it may prevent older adults from enjoying life (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Older adults living with depression may suffer from sleep disturbances, aches and pains, fatigue, and changes in weight...
Over the years, the amount of research has increased especially for individuals in nursing home dealing with depression. Current research has demonstrated that the prevalence of depression in nursing homes has been consistently high (Llewellyn-Jones & Snowdon, 2007, p. 629). However, current research has been done in order to determine the perception of the nursing home resident on depression. Even though healthcare workers fail to recognize depression in nursing home residents, nursing home residents with depression should seek treatment such as cognitive-behavioral-therapy for the sake that nursing home residents with depression who do not seek treatment will have an effect on their
Delirium, Depression, and Dementia are some of the most common psychological diagnoses in the elderly today. The three D’s are difficult to differentiate between in older adults because they overlap with each other and can all exist in the same patient at once. Delirium, Dementia, and Depression all affect the elderly’s quality of life and often increase the risks for one another (Downing, Caprio & Lyness, 2013). For the purpose of this paper I will be focusing primarily on the diagnosis of Dementia, the prevention, and nursing measures associated with it, but first I would like to differentiate between Delirium and Depression because Dementia is often associated with the two in the older adult population.
Clinical depression is very common. Over nine million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression at some point in their lives. Many more people suffer from clinical depression because they do not seek treatment. They may feel that depression is a personal weakness, or try to cope with their symptoms alone. On the other hand, some people are comfortable with admitting their symptoms and seeking help. Such a discrepancy may account for the differences in reported cases of depression between men and women, which indicate that more than twice the numbers of women than men are clinically depressed. According to the numbers of reported cases of depression, 25% of women and 10% of men will have one or more episodes of clinical depression during their lifetimes.
Since this was an exploratory study design, there was very little previous research done focusing on the treatment of this demographic It seems as if the literature review portion of the report was included in the introductory section, this format could be potentially confusing for the reader. Choi and Gonzalez (2005) build a strong foundation for the necessity of research focusing on older minority clients’ retention and further education for individuals and their families. They also discover that geriatric mental health issues not only impact the individual, but also the mental health their families and care givers. The manuscript dedicates about five pages to familiarize the reader with the historical, cultural and physical boundaries that impact geriatric patients. It encompasses the absence of older minorities in treatment, existing research on barriers to access and retention, and cultural influences that hinder client’s retention. Although the supporting literature only backs a one-sided view point, all articles were relevant to the purpose of the current research and were based on current research. This format of this section was an organized flow of information, making the material easy for the reader to
Three hospitals from different geographic locations were chosen for this study. At each hospital a care coordinator was chosen to be responsible for questionnaire review, communication with physicians, and further assessment and intervention when deemed necessary. Lists of patients 65 and older were generated from the caseloads of primary care physicians from the three hospital sites. The questionnaires were mailed out with physicians cover letters and consent forms in the summer of 1993. In the questionnaire patients were asked to assess their self-percieved notions of there medical and psychosocial needs, as well as the level of their functioning. Upon reciept of the completed questionnaires the care coordinators from each hospital assess the results of the survey. Those patients assessed as being high risk received follow up phone calls.
Taking care of the individuals that are getting older takes many different needs. Most of these needs cannot be given from the help of a family. This causes the need of having to put your love one into a home and causing for the worry of how they will be treated. It is important for the family and also the soon to be client to feel at home in their new environment. This has been an issue with the care being provided for each individual, which has lead to the need of making sure individuals have their own health care plan.
Providing care to the elderly can be a challenging but rewarding experience. It is important to remember that the needs of elderly clients are not different from other individuals. They have the same physical and psychological needs as any person of any age. These needs are sometimes more intense by the changes that interrupt the normal life patterns. When this happens, the elderly need understanding, acceptance, and the knowledge that someone care...
Depression is a serious mental health illness which affects an individuals’ mind, body and mood. It is a chronic and lifelong health condition (NICE, 2006) thought to be caused by a number of biological factors including neurotransmitter disturbances in the brain and an element of genetic vulnerability; these are often in addition to psychosocial factors such as the occurrence of undesirable life events, limited social network options, poor self esteem and the occurrence of any adverse life events during a persons’ lifetime (Bernstein, 2006). Depression can have an impact on a persons’ ability to do many things including working, engaging with others, participating fully in family life or maintaining relationships, and it can also impact on a person...
The elderly represents a large amount of the population in our society and continues to grow each day. As the population grows, it is important to meet the demands and resolve the challenges that we encounter in regards to the overall quality of health and well-being of the elderly. Mental health of the elderly is a major issue but majority of the time goes unnoticed and untreated by caregivers and loved ones. About 20 percent of adults 55 and older are suffering from some type of mental health disorder, and one in three elderly adults do not receive any type of treatment (The State of Mental Health, 2008). Those suffering from mental illness are hesitant to seek out help or any type of treatment because of the stigma, services and cost for care that then comes with mental health disorders. Mental health issues that affect elderly include dementia, delirium, and psychosis. Some of the most common conditions include anxiety, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease. Mental health is essential to the
Since I do interact with elderly clients as well, I can see how relationships and socialization are vital for their well-being and what happens when they do not get this socialization with others. Older people may have depression and not realize it or seek treatment. There are many things that can lead to depression, and the most common that I have seen are the loss of a spouse, family member, friend, chronic illness, and isolation. I have seen depression in older adults due to mostly these reasons, and their family members do not always realize the situation, but there are instances where family members can tell that their loved one is not adjusting well to either a loss or illness. It is so important for them to seek treatment because they could become further isolated if they do not. Counseling is all about trying to find different ways of coping and how to change negative behaviors to positively impact (and even change) a client’s life, and I think that sometimes the elderly are a bit overlooked when it comes to mental