Treatment Resistant Depression in Elderly Parent

[Anonymous]

My mom moved to an assisted living facility a little over a year ago after a period of falling and refusing to leave the house. She has received extensive medical testing which has revealed nothing, As best we can tell, her issues are primarily treatment resistant depression, anxiety, and some functional neurological concerns that have been exacerbated by aging and inactivity.

We knew when we moved her we were taking a chance, but we felt we had no other options at that point as she was declining rapidly. She did reasonably okay for awhile, and she was participating in community events and physical and occupational therapy and she was attending her grandchildren's activities.

She has backslided significantly over the past few months which was exacerbated by a COVID lockdown at her facility and some issues with incontinence that made her reluctant to go out. We have addressed these issues.

She has started doing what she was doing before she moved: not getting up, keeping to a schedule, taking regular meals and participating in her care. She will know someone is visiting and she will not get up and dress. The whole situation is so upsetting that I am reluctant to take my children there. She sees a geriatric psychiatrist, and when I raise these issues he adjusts her medicines with little impact. She has been on some form of psychiatric medication since the 90s, and I think they have little affect now.

I feel horribly when I visit and other residents are out and about, but I am also remarkably frustrated. She has every opportunity to have a fulfilling life. If anyone has had any success dealing with treatment resistant depression later in life I would appreciate any insights. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Has she had a brain scan and has she been screened for dementia recently? This sounds like what we experienced with the prodromal phase of Alzheimer's. It took some meds fiddling to find the right match and then every few months that can change. How old is she?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom moved to an assisted living facility a little over a year ago after a period of falling and refusing to leave the house. She has received extensive medical testing which has revealed nothing, As best we can tell, her issues are primarily treatment resistant depression, anxiety, and some functional neurological concerns that have been exacerbated by aging and inactivity.

We knew when we moved her we were taking a chance, but we felt we had no other options at that point as she was declining rapidly. She did reasonably okay for awhile, and she was participating in community events and physical and occupational therapy and she was attending her grandchildren's activities.

She has backslided significantly over the past few months which was exacerbated by a COVID lockdown at her facility and some issues with incontinence that made her reluctant to go out. We have addressed these issues.

She has started doing what she was doing before she moved: not getting up, keeping to a schedule, taking regular meals and participating in her care. She will know someone is visiting and she will not get up and dress. The whole situation is so upsetting that I am reluctant to take my children there. She sees a geriatric psychiatrist, and when I raise these issues he adjusts her medicines with little impact. She has been on some form of psychiatric medication since the 90s, and I think they have little affect now.

I feel horribly when I visit and other residents are out and about, but I am also remarkably frustrated. She has every opportunity to have a fulfilling life. If anyone has had any success dealing with treatment resistant depression later in life I would appreciate any insights. Thanks.

Covid lockdowns destroyed the elderly

[Anonymous]

Maybe try psychedelics?

[Anonymous]

ECT worked well for both my mom and grandmother for a few years in the same situation. Unfortunately, it did not work for my mom when her treatment resistant depression returned.