Alcoholism is not just a problem of youth. According to an 8/17/09 report in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 14% of men and 3% of women age 65 and older admitted to binge drinking (5 drinks or more on one occasion within the last month). I frequently see residents with lifelong addiction problems in the … Read more
The July 2009 report, Trends in Mental Health Admissions to Nursing Homes, 1999 – 2005 notes that “the proportion of nursing home residents with mental illness, in particular depression, has overtaken the proportion of those with dementia”. According to a July 1, 2009 article by Liza Berger in McKnights.com, “younger mentally ill people now account … Read more
I couldn’t wait to go to college. I was ready to shake off the old me, and begin a brand new self. No one would know who I’d been, and I could therefore be whomever I wanted to be. In my Psych 101 textbook, there was a picture of animal behaviorist Conrad Lorenz, followed … Read more
http://www.mcknights.com/Young-adults-in-long-term-care-the-canaries-in-the-%20coal-mine/article/112345/ Young adults in long-term care Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D. July 3, 2008 Anne Marie Barnett, in her June 10, 2008 guest column, wrote about the disruptive effects of younger residents on long-term care facilities. As a psychologist who has worked with many younger residents over the years, I’d like to offer my perspective and … Read more
This week I had the chance to meet with a lovely 97-year old lady whom I admire greatly. Despite her dementia, she can be eloquent and is interested in the world around her. She’s always well-dressed, thanks to her aides and to her family, who provide her with fashionable clothing they wash themselves. She’s often … Read more