Depression and Insomnia

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Insomnia in cases of depression is common and difficult to resolve but did you know that poor sleep quality can increase the risk of falls? Yep, those residents who you observe tossing and turning or simply lying quietly, wide awake at night, are at higher risk for many negative outcomes including falls. But did you know that depression can be …

Don’t Normalize Depression

Angie SzumlinskiNews

A great article in MedPage Today talks about senior depression and how the world perceives it as a “normal part of aging.” It isn’t. Depression is real, whether you are 20, 30, or 90, if you suffer with depression, appropriate care and management is critical to quality of life. Sure, everyone has a “blue day” and some days are worse …

Pandemic and Outcomes

Angie SzumlinskiNews

It likely comes as no surprise to providers that during the first year of the pandemic, residents in centers with active COVID-19 cases experienced significant increases in mortality and functional decline compared with the pre-pandemic period. Not shocking, right? What is interesting are the findings related to weight loss and depressive symptoms during the pandemic. In a study published in …

Depression and Stroke

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Most of us have had the experience of caring for someone who has suffered a “stroke” or “CVA.” The outcomes can be catastrophic, leaving the patient with debilitating symptoms such as paralysis, loss of speech, inability to walk, etc. which can lead to depression. However, in a recent study published in Neurology, researchers found that depressive symptoms increased slightly BEFORE …

Trauma Informed Care – The Time Is Now

Angie SzumlinskiNews

We all know the negative impact of isolation on seniors living in our communities, but I had never heard it referred to as “confinement syndrome”. In an article published in JAMDA, that is the term used to describe the signs of depression, isolation, delirium, decreased cognitive awareness, etc. that our residents have experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. If …

Mental Health in Assisted Living

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Serious mental illness is quite possibly one of the largest growing health concerns in our communities. I have recently had several clients reach out to ask about suicide prevention/self-harm best practices, policies, and protocols. It made me stop and think, do we have a bigger problem with mental health than we are willing to acknowledge? So, I did a little …

Senior woman lifting weights

Exercise and Depression

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I have always heard about “endorphins kicking in” when people exercise, I’m still waiting! Maybe I have a shortage of endorphins but whatever the case, most people enjoy exercise because of the endorphin high. Researchers have now identified even more benefits to exercising that may encourage everyone to get out of the office for 30 minutes! In a recent study …

COVID-19 and Increased Medication Use

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Medication

The pandemic has had a huge impact on all of us, but even more so for residents living in post-acute centers. We have all witnessed the loneliness, isolation, physical and mental declines and if that isn’t troubling enough, a recent study found a significant increase in residents receiving antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, trazodone hydrochloride, anticonvulsants, and opioids. If you think about …

Depression in Dementia with Lewy Body

Remember to Care

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News

“As vaccination has allowed nursing homes to open up a little, thousands of family members are seeing older loved ones with a disturbing clarity not possible during FaceTime calls and window visits. Even under the best of circumstances, the oldest seniors tend to decline over a year. But experts on dementia and aging say there is little doubt that isolation …

Anxiety-Depression-COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The percentage of adults who had symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder during the past 7 days and those with unmet mental health needs during the past 4 weeks increased significantly from August 2020 to February 2021, with the largest increases among those aged 18-29 years and those with less than high school education. During January 20, 2021-February 1 …