Solitary Confinement -- for Life

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

---

Strategies on Paying for Nursing Home Care and Medicaid

The decision to place your loved one into a nursing... Read More

Prevent or Delay Alzheimers Disease

Argh! Where are my glasses? I put them down .... Read More

New Hope for Alzheimers Treatment

There is now widespread agreement among research scientists and medical... Read More

Paying For Elder Care Just Got Easier

It's not a surprise that thousands of families across the... Read More

Stair Lift Buying Guide

There is no doubt that having a stair lift in... Read More

Second Hand Stair Lifts

Buying second hand stair lifts is a viable and cost... Read More

The Dryer Ate Your Underwear!

Q: My mom is in the early stages of dementia... Read More

Caring for Aging Relatives

It happens somewhat slowly in the beginning, maybe with a... Read More

Retiring Abroad and Leaving the Grey Skies of the UK

Retiring abroad needs careful planning. Not all countries have the... Read More

Board and Care Homes ? What Are They?

Board and Care homes (also known as RCFE's - Residential... Read More

The Truth About Christmas

Every year, as Christmas approaches, you hear Christmas carols everywhere.... Read More

Arizona Assisted Living Homes -- The Alternative to High Priced Senior Care

The cost of skilled nursing care is slowly rising. Currently,... Read More

Exercise Walking For Seniors: Preventing Foot Problems

Exercise has a very important role in the general health... Read More

10 Tips to Keep a Family Caregiver from Losing Their Mind

Caring full time for a loved one can be a... Read More

Why Everyone Over 50 Should be Training for the Senior Games

by Phil Campbell, M.S., M.A., FACHE Senior Games participant and... Read More

When the Box is Empty

The King had a modest kingdom. He was Danish. This... Read More

Senior Living: 5 Ways to Help Reduce the Risk of Falling

Every year we hear stories of seniors falling, ending up... Read More

Hinged Rail Stair Lifts

If a door at the top or the bottom of... Read More

Review of the Changing Protein Requirements for Seniors

Youth, it is said, is wasted on the young. Too... Read More

Assisted Living: Tips on How to Choose a Facility

It is easy to be fooled by fancy drapery or... Read More

What Most Long Term Care Professionals Don?t Know

Medicare recognizes this need and, therefore reimburses your residents to... Read More

Whos Gonna Take Care of You When Youre Old?

I finally went to the doctor this morning for my... Read More

Local Businesses Serving Seniors Prove Commitment to Quality Care

Good news! You no longer have to risk chance when... Read More

Marketing, Selling, and Serving the Older Adult, Senior Citizens, Family Caregivers

Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that... Read More

Stair Lifts - Straight and Curved Rails

There are two types of stairlift. Straight and curved. The... Read More

How To Find Affordable Senior Housing

A few years ago Miranda M. became a widow. After... Read More

Short Trips Can Stimulate Alzheimers Patients

Severe degradation of short-term memory means that my father, an... Read More

Who Wants to End Up in a Nursing Home? NO ONE!

As a long-term care consultant for seniors and their families... Read More

The Best Investment You Can Make Right Now: Long Term Care Insurance

Don't think you need it? Consider this: a full 50%... Read More

Senior Care for Alzheimer?s

As a person ages, a certain amount of memory loss... Read More

What Colour was Your Great-grandmothers Hair?

I've just made another Photoshop video. This one is about... Read More

Skilled Nursing Homes - What Are They?

A skilled nursing home is a medical facility providing services... Read More

Assisted Living Facilities ? What Are They?

Assisted Living facilities are generally for person's 60 years of... Read More