Elder Care Information

Solitary Confinement -- for Life


Home | Site Map | 101InfoLinks.com | Best Book Shop | Sports Fans ONLY
     .
© 2007

Sixty-five year old Arthur Jones served a self-imposed life sentence - in his own home.

Arthur lived in a high crime neighborhood, so he built iron cages around his outside doors and installed bars on all the windows. No one could find it easy to break in to Arthur's house!

I met Arthur a few years ago, although you would hardly call our interaction meeting. When I arrived to deliver his meal, as part of the Meals-on-Wheels program, Arthur barely cracked open his front door even though his cage clearly protected him. He refused to open the cage door at all, so, to give him his meal, I had to angle the box through the bars. Without doubt, this maneuver scrambled the hot contents of his boxed meal, but Arthur would have it no other way. He clearly feared me, a 100-pound woman, and everyone else.

I wish I could say that Arthur's family came to his rescue, finding for him the medical and emotional treatment he needed. I cannot. Arthur's depression and paranoia compounded relentlessly, killing him at far too young an age.

Many elders live like Arthur, holed up in their own homes, barricaded against the world. Who cares? Family and friends must care, and they must assume the primary responsibility, acting before their elder's condition rivals that of Arthur. We cannot shift this burden to our government. We cannot wish it away. Those among us lucky enough to have elders in our lives must shoulder the responsibility of seeing that they do not succumb to depression.

At this holiday season, many elders experience transitory depression, as celebrations bring memories of friends and loved ones who have died. Decreased hours of sunshine may add to their depressed feelings. How do you know if your elder suffers from serious depression? And, if you suspect depression, what you should do? Here are a few tips.

What signs should lead you to suspect serious depression?

  • Lethargy and or refusal to get out of bed;

  • Changes in Sleep Patterns, such as sleeping all morning

  • Unusual Complaints

  • Memory loss and loss of ability to concentrate

  • Frequent sighs or weeping if unusual for the sufferer

  • Feeling fear and loneliness;

  • Thoughts of death

  • Refusal to eat

  • Refusal to take prescribed medications

  • Thoughts or talk of suicide (remember, the notion that suicides do not signal their plans is a myth!)

  • Significant changes in personality

  • Irritability

What Can You Do?

A few simple steps may improve their condition rapidly:

  • Call more often than usual.

  • Take your elder for outings away from the house.

  • Schedule a medical appointment to confirm or deny your suspicions, and be the one to take your elder to that appointment. Depression often accompanies the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

  • Check bottles to be certain that your elder is actually taking prescribed medications at the recommended dosages. Too many or too few pills in the bottle can warn you of problems. If you find evidence that medications are not taken as prescribed, gently probe to see if you can learn why.

  • Include the elder in parties and holiday festivities, but keep the duration of their participation at a level they can handle comfortably.

  • Drop in more often than usual on homebound elders.

You don't have to be a doctor or social worker to recognize the signs of depression. Take action now to protect those who protected you.

About The Author

Phyllis Staff, Ph.D. - Phyllis Staff is an experimental psychologist and the CEO of The Best Is Yet.Net, an internet company that helps seniors and caregivers find trustworthy residential care. She is the author of How to Find Great Senior Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and Those Who Love Them. She is also the daughter of a victim of Alzheimer's disease. Visit the author's web site at http://www.thebestisyet.net

pando19@yahoo.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Eldercare Expert Shares Caregiver Challenges
PR.com (press release), NY - 8 hours ago
AgingAvenues.com is the areas newest, most comprehensive on-line resource for learning about eldercare issues, how to prepare, find community resources and ...


Elder Care Marketing Expert Offers Free 2009 Marketing Kick-Start ...
PR Web (press release), WA - Nov 19, 2008
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN, and an elder care marketing expert, released her 2009 Marketing Kick-Start CD this week. LTC Expert Publications and http://www. ...


AMDA partners with ReachMD, in effort to attract eldercare physicians
McKnight's Long Term Care News, NY - Nov 18, 2008
The American Medical Directors Association has announced a strategic programming partnership with ReachMD, The Channel for Medical Professionals. ...


UNR NevadaNews

Free elder care training class offered in Gardnerville
UNR NevadaNews, NV - Nov 18, 2008
The workshop is designed for friends and family members caring for elders as well as professional caregivers. By Anne McMillin Are you caring for an older ...


Reader views: Elder care; Height's victory; American - not black ...
Wisconsin State Journal, WI - Nov 18, 2008
Saturday's State Journal reported on a lawsuit involving the Willows Nursing Home in Sun Prairie. I am the legal guardian for a woman who lives there. ...


SAGE seeks donations to its Portable Pantry
NJ.com, NJ - 42 minutes ago
by Marian Cerdeira SUMMIT -- As Thanksgiving approaches, the Meals on Wheels program of SAGE Eldercare is stocking its Portable Pantry, with donated ...


New Jersey Jewish News

Holidays and your aging parent
New Jersey Jewish News, NJ - 21 hours ago
by Susan Schechter, LCSW Editor’s note: MetroWest CARES, the Committee Addressing Resources for Eldercare Services, is coordinated by United Jewish ...


Elder care monitors dwindle in Oklahoma
NewsOK.com, OK - Nov 15, 2008
BY WENDY K. KLEINMAN Understaffing at the state Health Department is delaying inspections at Oklahoma’s 670 long-term care centers, officials said. ...


Healthy dining options available for seniors
The Republican - MassLive.com, MA - Nov 18, 2008
Since your mother is over the age of 60, she qualifies for many services offered through WestMass ElderCare Inc. WestMass ElderCare is a private, ...


LETTER: Despite cuts, elder care facility continues mission, 11-16-08
Fall River Herald News,  USA - Nov 15, 2008
On Nov. 17, Bristol Elder Services, Inc. will establish a waiting list for home care services. The commonwealth is facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis ...

Elder-Care - Google News


Google
 

Home | Site Map | 101InfoLinks.com | Best Book Shop | Sports Fans ONLY
     .
© 2007