• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Depression: Part III

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, February 2, 2005

In the previous two editions of LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, we've explored signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. This week, we'll examine depression in the elderly and nursing care for depressed residents.

Clinical depression is a fairly common disease in long-term care settings. It is estimated that about 25% of Americans 65 and older suffer from serious, persistent depression. The frequency of depression is even higher in institutional settings, such as nursing homes, residential care facilities, and medical units of hospitals.

Clinical depression is often overlooked or ignored in nursing homes-it is considered a normal part of aging, or is chalked up to dementia. Among the elderly there is a significant risk of suicide, and depression often magnifies the physical effects of other illnesses, so it is extremely important to properly diagnosis and treat the disease.

When caring for residents who are depressed or have a history of depression, remember the following:

• Report any changes in behavior, such as withdrawal and depressive thoughts.
• Try to determine what situations cause the resident to become sad and withdrawn.
• Spend extra time with the resident whenever possible to provide reassurance that the staff cares about him or her.
• Encourage the resident to talk about his or her feelings.
• Touch the resident in a caring way.
• Report any expression of despair or threats of suicide immediately.
• Listen to the resident's concerns without negative judgement or false reassurance.

For most elderly people, social support is critical to the prevention of clinical depression. Staff members play an important role in providing and encouraging this support. Residents who appear to be withdrawn and lack the energy to participate in the activities they once enjoyed may be showing early signs of depression. We can help these patients by reporting symptoms to our supervisors and ensuring that the resident receives the proper diagnosis and treatment.

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive