Successful ECT in long-term care residents.

Introduction: Depression is common in long-term care (LTC) residents and causes increased mortality and morbidity. Treatment resistance or intolerance to antidepressants is not unusual. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective alternative for older community-dwelling residents but has not been well studied in LTC residents.

Challenging the quality of the quality indicator, "depression without treatment".

Objective: To assess the validity of the Minimum Data Set (MDS)-based quality indicator, "depression without treatment," and examine whether a nonphysician-based educational intervention can improve the accuracy of MDS questions regarding depression and its treatment.

Subjects: All residents of a 538-bed urban, university affiliated, long-term-care (LTC) facility. Nursing and social work staff involved in completing the mood and behavior items on the MDS.

Severity and course of delirium in medically hospitalized nursing facility residents.

Delirium is a common and serious complication of medical illness in frail elderly patients. The authors report on a series of nursing facility delirium patients followed for 3 months during and after acute medical hospitalization. Delirium was persistent to time of death or hospital discharge in 72%.

Aging: broadening our view for improved nursing care.

1. An interplay of biopsychosocial variables affect older adults' ability to thrive, adjust to change and finish well. 2.