Depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans aged 65 years or older.
Depression in elderly people often goes untreated because many people think that depression is a normal part of aging and a natural reaction to chronic illness, loss and social transition.
Treatment Once diagnosed, 80 percent of clinically depressed individuals can be effectively treated by medication. Medications can be beneficial for elderly individuals in treating the symptoms of depression.
But according to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) research has shown that some depressed individuals may need to try more than one medication to get an optimal response.
But by playing the “trial & error” game, many seniors are living with depression while trying to figure what medication is metabolizing in their body and what isn’t. By doing a simple (once in a lifetime) metabolic validation test which involves a simple swab of the mouth, physicians can now determine what medications will work for each individual resident. This allows better, more personalized care for the resident and most importantly, a better quality of life.
According to a 2013 Clinical Gerontologist study done by Tracy Chippendale, PhD, OTR/L, “Depressive symptoms are expected to become a leading cause of the global burden of disease, second only to cardiovascular disease, by the year 2020.” Given these ominous statistics, it’s time for nursing home staff to start thinking about what they can do within their own facilities to potentially ease the burden and help their nursing home residents feel less depressed.
The PGx Medical metabolic validation test is reimbursed by medicare so there is no cost to the facility, and no cost to the resident or their family.
For more information, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
Source: NAMI.com
Source: digicareins.com