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Depression in the Elderly (1)

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Depression is not an uncommon illness across the most of the lifespan and the elderly are no exception. Sometimes elderly people visit their doctor with a series of ailments only to be told they are not physically ill, but are suffering from depression. So what are the symptoms of depression in the elderly? Mostly, they are much the same as those of any age group, yet because of the nature of some of the symptoms, elderly people may assume that something more serious, such as dementia, is causing the symptoms. Below is an outline of the symptoms of depression as … Continue reading →

Dementia and the Flu

Seems like an odd combination, no? Dementia and the flu. Researchers from the Tufts University School of Medicine found that there may indeed be a connection between dementia and the flu… and it’s not a good one. Seniors with dementia seem to be diagnosed with the flu less often. They have shorter hospital stays if they are diagnosed with the flu, and are more likely to die from the flu or complications of the flu than seniors without dementia. The research team looked at five years of data from the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. That data included … Continue reading →

Being the Mom I Never Had to My Mom

I have Families.com reader Skaytes, who left a comment on my article “Big Changes in a Little Marriage”, to thank for inspiring me during my daily caregiving duties. She had been in a similar position with her mom that I now find myself in. She said it was the best thing she’d ever done. She also gave me the following advice: Be sure to not only show your love but tell her how much you love her as often as you can. Enjoy the time you have with her as we never know how long the Good Lord will give … Continue reading →

Damp, Mold, and Mental Health

A recent study from the Brown University School of Medicine looked at a possible link between damp, moldy homes and emotional problems like depression. Researchers looked at living conditions and health conditions in several cities around Europe, including Bonn, Germany, Budapest, Hungary, and Geneva Switzerland. Their data came from World Health Organization surveys performed in 2002 and 2003. Nearly six thousand men and women from households around Europe were asked about their health, including any diagnosis of depression in the last year. Participants were chosen at random, divided equally between men and women, and ranged in age from 18 to … Continue reading →

More concerns with Prozac and other SSRIs

A psychiatrist who headed at team of researchers at Columbia University in New York City has found that young mice given Prozac grow into adult mice who display emotional problems, chiefly depression. The results add to the growing unrest concerning the effect of Prozac and other SSRI-type antidepressants on young children, adolescents, and the embryos of pregnant women. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Prozac, Paxil and many other antidepressants in this family are coming under increasing scrutiny as their long term effects are not known. In the Columbia University experiment, young mice were injected with Prozac and given … Continue reading →