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How Caregivers Can Deal With Depression in Dementia Patients
from: Pat MoauroDementia describes a number of illnesses affecting memory and the ability to communicate, to judge, and to function in society. This umbrella term covers the loss of brain function in such conditions as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, to name a few. Since patients affected by these diseases come from all walks of life, often a patient finds the diagnosis intolerable.
In addition to being diagnosed with Alzheimer's or living with the illness, affected individuals may commonly have to deal with depression. An active patient will usually find it difficult to reconcile him or herself to a lifestyle in which control of finances and basic living decisions are given over to loved ones. Since these diseases are incurable, the person with Alzheimer's will often have to battle with coming to terms with the finality of the diagnosis.
Caregivers may sometimes find it difficult to determine if depression has crept up on their loved ones. As a general rule of thumb, if a loved one exhibits symptoms of depression for a prolonged period, this is a good indication that something is amiss. Watch for these symptoms:
* Your loved one may be in the doldrums for extended periods of time during which nothing and nobody is able to cheer her or him up.
* She or he may voice concerns of becoming a burden, being worthless, or feeling extremely guilty for "doing this" (getting sick) to you and the family.
* The patient may be considering suicide, and talking about it to you. Or, you may have the feeling that she or he is leading up to it. One possible sign may be the stashing away of large amounts of pills.
* Your loved one may suddenly start drinking or smoking more than previously.
* She or he may lose sleep or sleep all day and refuse to get out of bed.
If you notice these kinds of behavior in your loved one, you need to help her or him to deal with what may be a case of depression. Sometimes a patient may be unaware of the accompanying depression, believing instead that the symptoms are part of the dementia. This patient will see the quality of his or her life increase dramatically when the depression is adequately dealt with.
Treatment for the depression must start with a proper diagnosis. Please remember that only a professional will be able to diagnose this malady, so it's important that your loved one visit a doctor as soon as possible for an evaluation. Sometimes another illness may be mimicking the symptoms of depression. At other times they might be a real side effect from one of the medications taken to deal with the patient's dementia.
If your loved one suffers from depression, he or she may have to visit a psychiatrist. If your loved one is elderly, a psychiatrist who specializes in geriatric psychiatry will be your best choice. Treatment will depend on the severity of the depression. For a mild condition, regular visits to the psychiatrist for "talking therapy" may be indicated.
For more severe cases, more frequent therapy and medication may be needed. At other times, the doctor may feel that your loved one will need to receive more outside stimuli from others suffering from similar conditions. The doctor will be able to steer you toward support groups offering opportunities to socialize as well as activities. Most often a combination of treatment options may be suggested.
In some cases, a caregiver's depression may rub off on the patient suffering from dementia. Feelings of extreme guilt, coupled with witnessing the caregiver's anger, frustration, and sheer exhaustion, may also drive a patient to give in to bouts of depression.
For this reason the caregiver must also take excellent care of her or himself. You may need to join a support network to vent once in a while, as well as getting outside help with some tasks. If so, don't hesitate to contact your local social services department. By taking care of yourself, you'll be in a better position to help your loved one maintain his or her emotional well being!
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