Depression: Do You Need Antidepressants?
Almost 200 million prescriptions are written every year for people who have been diagnosed with clinical depression, and even more people suffer from forms of mild depression for which they don’t receive medication. Mild depression is common, may be intermittent, and may last for minutes or hours, usually passing with time. Severe depression, on the other hand, is a pervasive disorder that does not lift easily. In most cases, there is no clear causative or initiating event. There is...Read the rest of this article »Related Articles
Physical & Financial Elder Abuse: What You Can Do
For many people, the term “elder abuse” brings to mind a scam artist selling a bogus financial investment to older people. You may have seen ads from the local district attorney’s office showing bruised faces of elderly people who have suffered abuse. But what does the term really mean? The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse defines elder abuse as “any form of mistreatment that results in harm or loss to an older person.” It is usually...Read the rest of this article »Related Articles
Yesavage Depression Scale: A Depression Assessment Tool
Do you think an elderly loved one is depressed? Download the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale, which was developed at Stanford University by Dr Jerome Yesavage and his colleagues. The file is in a pdf format. You will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader® if you do not have it installed on your computer. (Don’t worry; it’s free, safe and simple to use.)...Read the rest of this article »Related Articles
Senior Depression: Mental Health Services in Long-Term Care Facilities
For seniors who live independently, mental health is largely dependent on their capacity for self awareness and their willingness to seek appropriate care. For those living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, the situation is a little more tenuous. As the numbers show, depressive and behavioral disorders are prevalent in these settings. In addition to the usual stresses associated with aging, such as loss of loved ones, physical deterioration, and fears related to death, seniors in long-term care...Read the rest of this article »Related Articles
Senior Depression: Resources
The best thing about acknowledging a potential problem is the hope for improving the quality of your life. In the last installment, we took a look at the statistics. Knowing you’re not alone generally makes it easier to be honest with yourself about your experiences. So now you’re aware. But what’s next? Take responsible action. Let me ask you this: if you suspected you had a serious physical illness or disease, would you write it off as no big deal?...Read the rest of this article »Related Articles
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