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Depths of Depression

Leo Samuelson had been a Certified Public Accountant and pursued varied interests in current events, philosophy and history. At 82 years of age, he was recently widowed after caring for his wife throughout her ten-year battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Leo was now physically frail, with a number of chronic medical conditions which sharply limited his mobility. Over the last year he had ceased to attend the weekly social gatherings at the Rotary club and no longer visited friends.

"I knew something was really wrong when he let his subscriptions to Smithsonian and the New York Times expire," says his daughter, Helen. "He seemed to be spending three or four hours a day napping, and his clothes were fitting so loosely, I knew he had lost weight." Leo was diagnosed with severe depression. His doctor knew that Leo's depression could adversely affect his health, and his concern lead him to refer Leo to an Adult Day Services program.

Leo's family was unsure that an Adult Day Services program would be appropriate, because Leo tired so easily. But they needed to try something, so Leo enrolled two days a week, with the understanding that the family would pick him up early if he became overly tired.

Within six months, Leo was attending the program five days a week. His strength improved and he rarely took more than a 20 minute nap. His doctor reduced the number of medications he was taking from 17 to 11, and decreased his dosage of anti-depressants. "At the program, Dad runs a discussion group on philosophy and politics, although it's sometimes more like an 'argument group', says Helen. "I am so relieved, I had thought we'd lost him."

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