Marlo Sollitto, December 2021

Today’s skilled nursing facilities are considerably different from the nursing homes of yesteryear. They feature larger rooms, visits from pets and even gardens. Still, for many seniors, the move to one of these long-term care facilities is representative of the end of the road. The simultaneous loss of independence, a long-time home, an established routine and cherished friends would be difficult for anyone to handle.

According to the American Geriatrics Society, such a monumental change can lead to depression, ranging from mild to chronic, in approximately 40 percent of nursing home residents. Despite its prevalence, few elders in nursing homes openly admit that they are experiencing symptoms of depression, therefore this mental condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated in seniors. In many cases, the symptoms are simply written off as a “normal” part of aging or even misdiagnosed as dementia. That means family members and nursing home staff must be on the lookout for warning signs, which can be very subtle.

Read on to discover more about diagnosis, treatment, therapy and lifestyle at….

AgingCare.com Source: Does Moving to a Nursing Home Cause Depression? – AgingCare.com

The website has a several free senior care guides here