As we prepare to celebrate the holiday season, wrapping gifts, planning holiday menus, and writing out holiday greeting cards, we are sure to forget something, right? The fast pace of the holidays can and often does impact our mental health and the mental health of our residents and staff. Although this should be a happy time of year, everyone has …
Mental illness affects 65-90% of people who live in long-term care facilities. This statistic stems from deinstitutionalization, a phenomenon that occurred more than fifty years ago, where officials shuffled mentally ill patients from state run psychiatric hospitals to community-based programs. When these programs could not meet the high demands of care, long-term facilities and nursing homes experienced a surge of …
I really can’t believe it, now there is suspicion that French fries may increase anxiety and depression! Really? When I eat french fries, I feel good all over, not anxious, not depressed, just good, so how can this be? Well, the researchers tested it on mice, not humans, but still, they found the consumption of fried foods, particularly French fries …
Did you know that physical activity is highly beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress across a wide range of adult populations, including people with diagnosed mental health disorders? Yep, that silly looking activity watch you wear religiously may actually be beneficial when it comes to your overall mental health! In a recent article published in the British …
For those of you who enjoy an adult beverage that contains hops, listen up! A recent study conducted at the University of Milano-Bicocca tested four common varieties of hop flower extracts found in beer to see how well they could help prevent brain protein clumping. Surprise, the testing found that hops were able to block amyloid beta proteins from clumping …
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 …
“’Gravely disabled’ patient left to fend for himself,” that is the charge filed in a civil enforcement action against Scripps Health in San Diego. The patient was diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffered from hallucinations, making it impossible for him to care for himself. He was hospitalized, delusional, refusing to attend to his basic needs, agitated, frequently cursing, etc. and the …
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 …
On June 1, 2021, Aklermes announced FDA approval of LYBALVI™ for the treatment of schizophrenia and Bipolar I disorder. The following was published as part of their press release announcement: “Schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder are complex, chronic diseases and there remains a persistent need for new medications with proven efficacy and safety. Olanzapine, a highly-efficacious atypical antipsychotic, is associated …
The National Safety Council offers resources for you and your team of caregivers as we evolve from pandemic to the “new normal”. These resources include training regarding substance abuse, how to ask for help at work, a prevention checklist for employees, webinars on managing mental health, etc. Their website explains that “the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the mental health and …
