Depression and Other Serious Diseases Faced by Care Homes in Our Country
In physiology and medicine depression refers to a lowering, in particular a reduction in a particular biological variable or the function of an organ. It is in contrast to elevation. The combination of medical and social aspects of elderly depression is also putting increasing economic pressure on society’s financial burden in trying to provide satisfactory health care and long-term care. A study of 2,633 adults in Chinese cities has concluded that the gender difference is insignificant, except in the 35-49 age group where the lifetime prevalence of major depression for men was 3.6% compared with only 2.3% for women. Even in the West, the gender gap is perhaps less conclusive than appears at first sight. Elderly depression causes and consequences remain complex. In recent years, research has materially advanced our state of knowledge, and we certainly have a far better grasp of treatment than we had a generation ago.
Depression is the leading cause of disability as measured by YLDs and the 4th leading contributor to the global burden of disease (DALYs) in 2000. By the year 2020, depression is projected to reach 2nd place of the ranking of DALYs calcuated for all ages, both sexes, concluded a research conducted in multiple care homes in Kent. Depression can be reliably diagnosed in primary care. Antidepressant medications and brief, structured forms of psychotherapy are effective for 60-80 %. For depression, Years of Life Lost as a result of premature death is relatively low whereas Years of healthy Life lost as a result of Disability is extremely high. Depression is not predominantly a fatal condition. A review of studies has concluded that elderly depressed patients have higher rates of medical comorbidity than younger depressed patients and than elderly patients who are not depressed; that comorbidity has an adverse effect on the response to antidepressant medication. The recognition of comorbidities may involve consultants in different disciplines with different priorities who are prescribing a range of possibly incompatible medicines.
Osteoporosis is also very common in care homes nowadays. Osteoporosis is directly associated with porosity and fragility in the bones, which makes them particularly susceptible to brake (fractures). This disease has often been thought to be a condition that frail elderly women develop. However, the damage from osteoporosis begins much earlier in life. Osteoporosis can be detected by using tests that measure bone density. Treatment of osteoporosis includes ensuring that the diet contain adequate calcium and other minerals needed to promote new bone growth. The spine, hips, ribs, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis although osteoporosis-related fractures can occur in almost any skeletal bone.
