Depression In Long Term Care

Depression is one of the most recurrently investigated psychological disorders within the area of medical R&D (Montorio & Izal, 1996). A number of exhaustive researches have been carried out to study its symptoms and impacts on different patients belonging to different personal and professional attributes and most of these researchers depicted that depression in the elderly people is very frequent and in spite of number of researches in this context, it is often undiagnosed or untreated. To add to this jeopardy, it has also been estimated that only 10% out of the total depressed elderly individuals receive proper diagnosis and treatment (Holroyd et al, 2000). And for that reason, an authentic

Long-term care can be defined as a broad set of paid and unpaid services for people who are mentally or physically disabled, or whose chronic illness places them in need of medical or personal assistance for long periods of time. “It is estimated that there are more than twelve million Americans of all ages whose mix of serious disability and chronic illness places them at the high risk for functional decline, hospitalization, or nursing home placement.” (Benjamin) Several different populations require long-term care services, and the needs of these populations vary. In addition to the elderly, many of the long-term care users are younger persons with physical disabilities; persons with developmental disabilities; and persons with chronic

Although,older adults tend to be more satisfied with their lives more than younger people that is not always the case .For those who are suffering from mental health issues, there is a limited supply and improper access to psychiatric treatment which leaves older adults underdiagnosed and undertreated.

As the number of the older adults is increasing so are those living with depression; therefore, it is important that perceptions around older adult depression be studied. According to the study done by the US Department of Commerce, it is estimated that the older adult population will more than likely double by 2050 and of 80 million and many as 1 in 5 Americans would be considered as an older adult (US Department of Commerce, 1995). There are many losses that accompany the aging process. These include the loss of loved ones and their independence. They begin to feel as though they will depend on their families for the rest of their lives. These factors scare them and causes many of the individuals to suffer from depression. One of the most predominant health problems in the United States is mental health. In the last 20th century, mental illness treatment has been through diverse changes in the United States. These changes have made it necessary for the policy and law makers to enact a law to protect the identity and integrity for people with mental health illness. Most individuals diagnosed with mental health illness are most often being ostracized and stigmatized. Because of social stigma attached to the individual with mental illness, their privacy is being violated and it has created so many issues in mental health.

Depression- Depression is a significant issue for individuals with high care needs, and their carer’s. Research has shown that the depression levels of young individuals residing in aged care is twice of those living at home, or in Youngcare housing. For individuals living at home 56 percent of their carer’s are defined as moderately depressed, and 40 percent are defined as severely or extremely depressed.

Recently there was a patient on my unit that perfectly demonstrated this. Ms. B came in for an aortic valve repair. Her surgery went well, but shortly afterwards stopped participating in her care. She became apathetic towards physical therapy, to getting out of bed, and even so far as eating meals. When this happened, she started to physically decline and started getting complications. She got pneumonia, ended up on a ventilator and in the critical care unit 3 times in one month. She eventually

The necessity for long-term care is increasing which will require additional training and education for health care personnel, family members, and patients. Family members can have peace of mind knowing their family member will gain confidence in learning how to become accustomed to his or her new life while maintaining a quality continuum of care during and after treatment for physical, mental, or age associated illnesses.

In my practice as a social worker in a long term care setting, I have become aware these are the resident who lack to ability to care for themselves due to physical limitations as opposed to their mental limitations. I have also noticed this is the population which has the most difficulty adjusting to living in a nursing home. This seems to be the population which most often displays symptoms of depression and sadness regarding their situation of living in a nursing home, and often times will state they want to discharge home even though they and their families are unable to provide needed care.

The character Dorothy said in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, “there is no place like home” (Baum, 1960, p. 45). Sadly, many of our elderly live in Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF). The transition from living in their own homes, to living in a LTCF, can be a traumatic experience. Poor adaptation to a LTCF may cause depression, malnutrition and significantly reduce the lifespan of the elder. Thus, it is imperative, that nurse’s recognize this promptly.

Depression is prevalent in later life with serious negative outcomes leading to further disability, higher health costs, and mortality (Hoeft, Hinton, Liu, & Unutzer, 2016). Chronic conditions such as cancer, heart failure, pulmonary and Parkinson’s diseases are significant risk factors for late life depression (Wu, Schimmele, & Chappelle, 2012). Delivering quality comprehensive care to older adults with chronic disease and depression is often a complex and challenging task, and thus, academic preparation for these situations is an important goal.

This study concluded that depression during the first year of residence in a nursing home has risen from 42% in 1999 to 54% in 2005 and found those who were admitted from another facility were more likely to be diagnosed with depression (Hoover et al., 2010).

If you have ever worked in the healthcare system you will know there are a few patients you will never forget. Some are for good reasons and some are for not so good reasons. There are some patients that are never satisfied no matter how nice you are or how much time you give them. Needy or demanding patients typically are characterized into different subgroups and once insight is gained nurses and medical staff can respond more effectively to their needs.

Depression is the most common mental disorder, not only for adults, but for children and teenagers as well. The DSM-IV classifies depression as a mood disorder. It states that an individual has suffered a “major depressive episode” if certain symptoms persist for at least two weeks, including a loss of enjoyment in previously pleasurable activities, a sad or irritable mood, a significant change in weight or appetite, problems sleeping or concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness. These symptoms of depression fall into four categories: mood, cognitive, behavioral, and physical. Depression affects how individuals feel, think, behave, and how their bodies work. People with depression may experience symptoms in any or all of the

Of the total population of the United States, 39 million are 65 and older. Of those 39 million older adults, about 5% reside in nursing homes, with the median age of 83.2 years (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is estimated that by the year 2030, 20% of the nation’s population will be 65 and older (Glaister & Blair, 2008). With the number of older adults rising significantly, so will the number residing in nursing homes. A significant amount of older adults will experience depression. Depression is prevalent in older adults, and those residing in nursing homes seem to be at greater risk for developing it (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is also estimated that the number of older adults experiencing depression is three to five times that of older

Mental disorders are becoming more prevalent in today's society as people add stress and pressure to their daily lives. The elderly population is not eliminated as a candidate for a disorder just because they may be retired. In fact, mental disorders affect 1 in 5 elderly people. One would think that with disorders being rather prevalent in this age group that there would be an abundance of treatment programs, but this is not the case. Because the diagnosis of an individual's mental state is subjective in nature, many troubled people go untreated regularly (summer 1998). Depression in the elderly population is a common occurrence, yet the diagnosis and treatment seem to slip