Description of the Client and Service Setting
Electroconvulsive therapy is sometimes used with geriatric patients (e.g., Bell and Gross, 2001: 26-36; Fernandez, 2003: 643-659; Reynolds and Kupfer, 1999: 1167-1172; Szanto, 2002: 11-24). The report presented in this paper discusses the case of Mr. Jones who was given ECT treatments due to severe depression.
Mr. Jones, had been sent from a nursing home to an adult psychiatric program that provided short-term hospitalization for acutely ill psychiatric patients. The program is characterized by rapid but in-depth evaluations and immediate initiation of treatment, the purpose being to have the patient leave the hospital as quickly as possible and continue treatment in a less restrictive outpatient setting.
Mr. Jones was a retired railroad worker who had lived alone, following the death of his wife, for 14 years prior to his dntrance into thd nursing home He had a small one-bedroom apartment in a large retirement complex. While his three children lived in different states, his surviving brother lived within an hour's drive. His children had kept in touch but when Mr. Jones began to lose his hearing, his children called less frequently and his brother visited less often. His health was good; however, he did have glaucoma for which he used eye drops to control pressure. As his contact with family lessened, Mr. Jones appeared befuddled and confused and felt that it was just too much of a strain to take care of himself. He then had a fall and broke his hip. He was placed in a nursing home and soon became severely depressed. Program intervention included electroconvulsive therapy for his depression.
There has been substantial literature discussing the nature of electroconvulsive therapy (e.g., Barker and Baldwin , 1990: 52-55; Datto, C. J., 2000: 130-134; Kelly, 1999: 20-27; Mogilner and Rezai, 2003: 115-120; Seaha, 2003: 10 and 12). In general, Beyer et. al (1998: 49-79) informs t...