Moved my wife into a nursing home. She receives great care that I cannot give at 87.... she is very happy and I'm at peace.

Hey Lizzy, I hear you. The reason I supported this article is that it is one of the first times I have seen depression isolated from both dementia and being in a facility. Most experts associate depression with dementia when I do believe it is actually created by environment that the elderly suffer through. Medication is often a fix, as you say, but I don't see the article pushing that. They do push it in facilities though. There is no doubt about that.

Depression can be treated ,,let's not forget that.My dad is a different person and beginning to find some peace. We did advocate for the diagnosis and treatment and are so glad we did.

I agree with Veronica91. I don't think it "making you feel blue" is accurate. I would like to see any of these other commentators be forced from there home and all they know to a small room to die tell me its just "depression". Finding alternatives to nursing homes and ways for them to stay in there homes is the answer. Not more drugs and nursing homes.

The article itself is useful but the idea of having to share a small room with another woman I may or may not like makes me depressed just thinking about it!
It is better than it used to be but the losses are the same and feelings don't change.
The disrespect cruelty and indifference are still alive and well. yes there are excellent facilities - if you have the money to pay the fees. If you are on Medicad as so many are forced to be the pittance the patient is allowed as pocket money does not cover everything and what do those who do not have relatives do when they need new clothes.
I truly understand that caregivers have to make this difficult decision but I really cherish my freedom and am very thankful to have it and not have dementia (well no one has told me yet).

Moving anywhere can cause an older person to feel "blue". My husband is in ALF. Even though he is on Medicaid, I had to sell our home and move to a condo in a lower budget retirement community so I could use the equity to pay for some of his expenses. He couldn't get LTC insurance when it first came out several years ago because of a "pre-existing condition" (Parkinson's). Medicaid doesn't cover everything. I have been in the condo almost 2 years and I still miss my nice home. My husband was an M.D. in his professional life and I had a well-paying job as a facilities manager. I had to go on disability at the age of 45 because of fibromyalgia. Tragedy can happen to anyone, even the semi-wealthy. It isn't easy, but I am thanklful I have a place to live, food on the table, and enough money to pay for utilities,etc. I never thought my life would come to this, but it has. I know I have a heavenly home waiting for me, a home more beautiful than anything I can imagine on earth and a face-toface relationship with my Savior. If I didn't have the Lord in my heart and a promise of a heavenly home, I don't think I could handle this tragedy in our life.

Thanks for posting this article. I rarely see anyone even address this, as it has become so accepted in our society to put our elderly in facilities. From what I can see (I visit with my mother in a memory facility about three times a week, used to go much more) no one likes to be in a place like this. They cry, they become very depressed, some get violent. These symptoms get worse after their loved ones leave. Some people have an easier time, but it's usually the personalities that are more social to begin with. I wish there would be more interest in depression/dementia as observed in patients in their own home. Finding a correlation between dementia and depression by doing reports within a facility is not accurate in my opinion. I do want to acknowledge amahl's comment--that there are moments of social interaction that are healing and I would be remiss not to mention that. But thank you so much for this article--it is like a beacon of light in the darkness!

Moving into a nursing home would depress me. Unless I was 'out of it' then who cares?

Moving anywhere that's not 'home' is stressful, if home is where one wants to be.

An excellent and diversified activities program can help the new resident deal with their feelings of depression. Getting them interested is the hardest part. To move slowly and invite he/she to at least attend is the beginning. Many times the resident will forget for a few hours that they are sad when they realize they can still have fun and enjoy their life. Out of home trips in the community is also important to how they are feeling. Iam a former activities coordinator for elderly people