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Professional carers' knowledge and response to depression among their aged-care clients: the care recipients' perspective
- Authors:
- MELLOR David, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 12(3), May 2008, pp.389-399.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Depression is an under-diagnosed disorder among the elderly, even in those who are in receipt of aged-care services. One factor associated with this under diagnosis has been identified as a reluctance amongst the elderly to discuss their mood and emotions with their medical practitioners. The current study focused on why depression is not recognised and acted on by those providing residential or home-based care to older people. This study interviewed 15 elderly people residing in high-level or low-level aged-care facilities, and three elderly people who were receiving personal care in their homes. All participants had been identified by their care agencies as depressed. Participants reported their perceptions of their personal carers' knowledge and practices in managing the residents' depression. Although the participants described their carers in positive terms, they were critical of their knowledge and skills in recognising depression, and indicated that the communication between personal carers and care recipients about depressive symptomatology was seriously flawed. Training for personal carers in these areas, and efforts to change organisational culture are recommended.
Can the internet improve the well-being of the elderly?
- Authors:
- MELLOR David, FIRTH Lucy, MOORE Kathleen
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing International, 32(1), March 2008, pp.25-42.
- Publisher:
- Springer
- Place of publication:
- New York
This article reports on a project that aimed to evaluate the potential of the Internet to reduce social isolation amongst the elderly, and thereby, improve psychosocial functioning. Twenty residents of a retirement village in Australia volunteered to be given access to, and training in, the use of computers and the Internet. After 3 months, they exhibited little change in measures of self-esteem, positive affect, personal well-being, optimism and social connectedness. However, they reported that they found the use of the Internet to be of great benefit. Over the 12 months of the study 12 participants discontinued their involvement for a variety of reasons. After 12 months, the eight participants who remained in the study again reported a range of positive outcomes however, quantitative survey data did not confirm these findings of a generally-positive experience. This discrepancy between the qualitative (interview) data and the quantitative (survey) data suggests that impact of the Internet on the wellbeing of the elderly may be more complex than suggested, and broader than was assessed psychometrically. Specific recommendations about the introduction of computers to elderly with care both in how participants are selected and how their well being is monitored subsequently are made.