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Geriatric Care Management Blog

By Charlotte Bishop on 6/28/2011 11:03 AM
Caregiving has some obvious costs in time, money and other resources, but one cost that does not get enough attention is the toll it can take in the form of caregiver depression.  As a geriatric care manager, one of my principal points of contact is the member of the family who has been delegated or who has defaulted into the role of caregiver for an older adult or other person with special needs.  And while we are all about the business of planning for the older parent, it also is critical to address the individual who is providing the care.  The sad irony is that the caregiver feels guilty about even talking about the dark cloud that seems to be hanging over them, guilty that they do not feel the fulfillment of taking care of the parent who once took care of them. 

More than 20 million Americans suffer from depression, and caregivers are more likely than the average person to get something that is not just the “blues.”  We all recognize the time and work that a caregiver puts in to help an older adult,...
By Charlotte Bishop on 4/18/2011 3:23 PM
One of the most common health issues that seniors deal with is depression.  According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, the prevalence of depression among the elderly is 1 to 5 percent overall.  Yet, it is not a “normal” part of aging; the incidence of depression increases to 11.5% of the hospitalized elderly and 13.5% of older individuals receiving home care.  As a caregiver, I get calls from caregivers and clients who are dealing with not just sadness, but real depression.  While some of these older adults will respond to anti-depressants, it is perhaps even more important to address what may really be just situational depression.  As a geriatric care manager, I am not a diagnostician and I cannot prescribe medications, but I can prescribe some changes in activities that can help the situational sadness that a lot of seniors may experience.

Seniors – along with...

Recent Comments

re:
love it! very interesting topics, I hope the incoming comments and suggestion are equally positive. Thanks for sharing information that is actually helpful.

allinfouneed
www.tulleeho.org
Re: A Radio Talk with Aging Info Radio
I have read this post. Really it is so nice.
Re: A Radio Talk with Aging Info Radio
I heard all the answers. I did not know those answers. Thanks for providing answers.
Re: Four Tips for the Accidental Caregiver
Great article Charlotte - I am always heartened at how neighbors and acquaintances will step forward to assist a senior in need. Sometimes it is because the senior has outlived their family members - sometimes there are other reasons. In any event, these situations are really unique, and they require some planning to handle thoughtfully. A geriatric care manager can be a really important piece of that puzzle. You have provided some really good suggestions in this article. Keep up the good work.
I would really love to guest post on your blog.`
This kind of post is very rare.. its so hard to seek a post like this. very informative and the contents are very Obvious and Concise .I will look more of your post
Re: Two More Ways to Make Elders' Homes Safer
Nice article Charlotte - really solid suggestions. I just can't figure out why I'm accumulating so much stuff already!
Re: Caregiving to Older Workers
Nice article Charlotte. This is really becoming an important issue.
Re: Four Steps for "The Talk" About Giving Up the Car Keys
This is the conversation I have been dreading for the longest time. My dream was to have a driver in place before this actually happened, but at this point I don't know. My mom has never been the best of drivers to begin with, but still manages to function well enough and as of this writing is still fully functional. Whether that lasts another week, a year or a few years is out of my control, but when it happens, I will have to deal with it just as you suggested. I expect it to be a huge fight and really would not have it any other way.

My biggest fear really isn't for my mom's safety as it it for everyone else's. My grandfather drove until he was in his 80's and one day drove his car through his next door neighbor's living room. Obviously, that was it. (I have every intention of getting the keys from her before it gets to that point.)

Here is another thing to consider: My mom's car is bought and paid for, so my thinking is that when the time comes, there should be enough sale value left on it to pay for a driver for a certain amount of time. I have no idea what that costs, but this article lit the fire and I intend to find out.

Keep these posts coming, I am sure I am not much different than a lot of your readers in that even though I know I shouldn't, when it comes to my mom, I would like to live in a state of denial as long as possible. It gets harder and harder as she slowly watches her friends die around her and starts to question her own mortality.

Re: Alzheimer's Related Medical Conditions
This is the information that I've been looking for. I'm really glad that you posted it. Thanks for sharing this one!
re:
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Joseph
www.joeydavila.com
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