Depression is two to three times more common then dementia of depressed elders at home, about one-third have moderately severe disease. Depression is not age-related and there is no reason to believe it to be part of normal aging. It is more common amoung physically ill sunjects in hospitals and at home. Although higher rates of depression are found in people with dementia and other neurological disorders, particularly stroke and parkinson's disease. Without treatment, depression in old age becomes a chronic disorder that produces high levels of morbidity and mortality. Age is a risk factor for completed suicide. Depression is the most important psychiatric condition associated with successful and attempted suicide in old age. Depression in late life is a largely undetected and untreated condition. In community studies, similar proportions of depressed patients are on antidepressants. Depressed older people will consult their general practicioner two to three times more often then non-depressed elders, presenting opportunities to identify and treat depression. In genral hospital wards, the detection of depression is also poor and few patients will be referred for a psychiatric opinion. In high risk populations, the use of validated screening intruments like the The Geriatric Depression Scale can improve levels of detection.The poor medical response to depressed older people arises from several factors. Therapeutic nihilism based on misinformed preconceptions of age and psychiatric treatment may be common. Too often depression is considered a natural reaction to the vicissitudesof later life ands is explained away as an inevitable and normal response. A study of antidepressants perscibing in primary care found that older patients...
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...ic illness. Spouses, family members, and friends may die. Retirement brings loss of income and loss of the workers role. The older adult gradually loses the necessary resources to remain independent. Independence is a major cultural measure of personal worth and its loss undermines self-esteem. Without understanding, support, and care from loved ones, chronic depression can result even for those who have led successful full lives. Alzheimer's disease is an increasing cause of mental confusion in older adults. In earlier stages of the disease, patients can be aware of their diagnosis; depression and anxiety are likely to follow. Support from social workers, along with medication can help ease the resultant emotional pain. (Suppes & Wells, 2013)
Works Cited
(Suppes & Wells, 2013)(Anderson, 2001)(Lacruz, Emeny, Haefner, Zimmermann, Linkohr, Rolf & Ladwing, 2011)
(Davidson, F. G.) Due to the nature of dementia being a neuropsychological disorder, those affected by the disease tend to look like they will not require much care, which, in reality, they often require more care than the caregiver originally expected, leading to stress and burnout. Another effect caused by this can be the caregiver blaming themselves by feeling like they are failing to give proper care, which, in reality, can often be very far from the truth. If the caregiver does not receive help from anyone else, the task of watching over the victim becomes a daunting twenty for hour task. Sometimes, the caregiver won’t be allowed quality sleep. Over 66 percent of home caregivers suffer from some form of psychological or physical illness. The most common illness that is resulted from giving care to Alzheimer’s disease is depression. The caregiver needs to monitor their emotional well-being as well as the well-being as the person that they are giving care to. Usually, giving care to those with dementia is actually more stressful than giving care to those with cancer. When the caregiver is a family member and not a professional, the emotional toll is often even greater. It is important for caregivers to remember that they need to take care of themselves first and
Dementia is the loss of a person’s mental skills from their daily routines. The symptoms of dementia could easily be over looked, they include forgetting things, daily routines are hard to complete, misplacing things, depression, aggravation and aggression, emotion are high, even feeling like someone is a threat to their life (Web MD,2012). Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult if with resources like healthcare, living facilities, nursing homes and medicine is involved, but sometimes healthcare and facilities do not provide the proper care. This disease is very common in the elderly community past the age of sixty-five. Finding out that a loved
This essay will consist of different sources that explain the inappropriate behaviour an emergency Nurse’s response at handover due to a male patient who has been admitted into the Emergency Department in a dishevelled state. As a Registered Nurse assigned to care for this patient when handing over the patient’s care to another Registered Nurse, the nurse responds in an inappropriate manner; stating, ‘I really hate looking after old people – they’re all senile and they smell’. This essay will analyse the attitudes of the nurse and the beliefs that support such comments are improper thus leaving a significant impact on the performance and the nursing care for this patient.
There are changes in the demographic as the population grows older, the number of older adult’s increases and thus, there is an increase of proportion of patients that are older adults for nurses to take care of (Wells, Y., Foreman, P., Gething, L., & Petralia, W., 2004). The nurses are there to assist and support the older adults in achieving wellness within their situation through empowering the clients (Touhy, et al (2012). Caring for older adults is important as there is an increase in population with deteriorating health. When caring for a client it is important to incorporate Jean Watson’s caring theories and Carative Factors to help influence and support the care. She encourages nurses to co-participate within the caring process by establishing unity and trust between the nurse and client. First, this paper will explain a situation in where I cared for an older adult and it will then introduce Jean Watson’s lower order needs, specifically the need for activity and how it relates to the older adult I cared for. Lastly, this paper will explain the nursing interventions I implemented to meet the lower order need, with a discussion of Carative Factor #4 relating to the client.
Informal supports, such as aid for housekeeping and running errands, are crucial to maintaining the lifestyle of individuals with Alzheimer’s in the community; however, the disease’s erosion of physical, cognitive, and communicative abilities often creates tremendous strain for family caregivers. Individuals and family caregivers dealing with Alzheimer’s often experience increasing social isolation as the disease’s progression undermines both mobility and the capacity for meaningful and appropriate engagement with the community (Banerjee et al., 2003). A number of studies have documented the physical and mental health costs borne by unsupported caregivers, and the link between caregiver stress and the institutionalization of their ill family members (Andren & Elmstahl, 2005; Banerjee et al., 2003). Taken together, the stress and isolation of dealing with Alzheimer’s disease undermine the health and quality of life of everyone involved, eventually precipitating institutionalization.
The Social Security Act of 1935 was established in order to help Americans receive benefits when they retire or in the event that they are not able to work anymore. All Americans who work pay taxes, which in turn are put into the Social Security system. When this act was passed, it was meant to supplement a person's income, when reaching the age of retirement. This money would add to their pensions or savings. Many retirees now depend on it as their only source of income. In the past, the majority of jobs had pensions and the employee contributed to it. In modern society, pensions are no longer the norm in jobs as they were 50 years ago. Blue collar jobs are more than likely to not have any sort of pension plan as opposed to white collar jobs. Not all people receive the same amount of money when they retire. Depending on the salary you earned when working, that will determine how much you will receive in your monthly Social Security check. A person who has worked at low paying jobs in their lifetime will barely receive enough in Social Security. Many of our elderly in the United States barely receive enough money that many elderly live below or just barely above the poverty level.
The older adult population consists of people 65 and older (Miller, & Stoeckel, 2011). Depression is greater in women than men, however, the cause is unknown (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Both, males and females who have been previously depressed or have a biological relative with depression, have an increased risk of depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Seniors in long-term care facilities have a higher rate of being diagnosed with depression (14-42%) than those who continue to live within the community (1%-5%), therefore, levels of diagnosed depression fluctuate depending on location of residence (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). A recent Canadian study shows 44% of older adults living in residential care have been diagnosed with depression or have symptoms of depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Depression can cause higher mortality rates, even when supplementary risk factors are considered, however, the reasons are not entirely understood (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Studies have shown that older adults with depression are one and a half to two times more likely to pass on than those without depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010).
Suicide is a very tragic life event for the victim, victim’s friends and family members and to society as a whole. We often hear about suicide deaths that occur in younger and middle-aged adults in the media but rarely is such attention given to elderly suicide (65 and older). In the United States there is a higher rate of suicide amongst the elderly than in any other part of the population. There are many factors to this problem, however depression among the elderly was recorded as the major contributing factor that lead them to suicide. Every elderly that committed suicide was reported to have been depressed. Understanding the contributing factors that lead to depression amongst the elderly might shed light on the issue. Many studies have shown that depression coupled with risk factors increase tendency of suicide ideation among the elderly. Risk factors such as chronic illness, pain, physical and mental disabilities, isolation, loneliness, role change (retirement), lack of financial security and social support, bereavement, alcohol abuse, hopelessness and dependability have been pointed out as major contributing factors for the high number of depression experienced by the elderly. Society has identified depression and suicides among the elderly are a social problem, but little have been done to educate the public.
Of the estimated 35 million people in the U.S. that are over the age of 65, 6.5 million are in need of some sort of mental health services. (Comer, 2004) However, less than 20% receive treatment (Benek-Higgins, 2008). According to the American Psychiatric Association, there may be instances where a person may not report a depressed mood or sadness, since many including those in the elderly population, may deny such feelings (APA, 1994).Anxieties, irritability, not able t...
The human brain is extraordinary organ. It stores our memories, vision, hearing, speech, and capable of executing executive higher reasoning and functions setting us apart from animals. Today we know more about the human brain because of medical advances and the development of technology. These brain disorders have been studied for years and many others would classify dementia as a mental illness because it causes cognitive impairments. The following paragraphs will discuss what dementia is, what the types of dementia are, perspectives of patients with dementia as well as the perspective of a caregiver to a dementia patient.
Identify and explain the three major sources of conflict and misinterpretations in social work practice: culture-bound values, class bound values, and language variables.
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
Social work is a multifaceted, ever adapting profession, which has had many purposes and identities through the years. It is imperative for the vocation to constantly evolve alongside the social climate and the new ways in which we identify and treat those who are in need of support. Social workers can be required to take on the role of counsellor, advocate, case-worker, partner, assessor of risk and need, and at times (as the government seeks to push social work further and further towards the health and education sectors) a servant of the state. The profession is dramatically subject to affection by societal change, thus demanding social workers have a duty to be up to date with the latest developments in understanding how and why people get to the point of requiring social work intervention, and how best to prevent and cater for it.
After coming to North Carolina Central University I have distinct opinion of what the social work profession is. Before, when I was still in high school I had a poor general idea of social workers. I was aware that school social workers had a degree but, I was under the impression that such degree was not needed to work in a place like the department of social services and both positions carried the same title. I knew of someone who worked at DSS for many years and they had begun working there straight out of high school. I know now that I was wrong, however, was my predetermine opinion that much different than the public’s? The only reason I have a more precise knowledge of the field is because I am a social work major. However, the vast majority of the population are not social work majors and thus their impression is based on what they have experienced and seen. In this paper I argue the different publics views based on interviews, readings, and personal experience.
The National Association of social workers (2008) defines the unifying primary mission or purpose of social work as “enhancing human well-being and helping meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.” (Dubois & Miley, 2014).