Meet Henry Omer
"Now, Daddy, it's way past time for you to see a doctor."
Virginia Omer-Wright has brought her father Henry to see the Wright family doctor. Mrs. Wright is concerned about her father's behavior.
"Mother died three months ago from breast cancer and Daddy just hasn't been himself," she says. "Last week he lost his car downtown. He called home and thought I was my mother. He didn't know where he was, but he read the street signs and told me what corner he was standing on. I told him to stay put, but he forgot. The police found him and took him to Grady Memorial Hospital."
Mr. Omer is a 72 year old retired engineer. His daughter believes his has a history of undiagnosed depression because, due to his erratic performance on the job, he was asked to retire early from his position. "He's always been, well, sort of in another world," his daughter adds. "For example, Mother was always worried about some of his financial decisions and investments in high-risk companies."
Mr. Omer is unshaven and attired in oversized gray slacks and a worn, white dress shirt. He sits quietly as he leafs through a copy of Glamour magazine. He says little, but is pleasant and extremely polite.
Questions:
Please email your answers to your instructor or write the answers down in your case log book.
Just complete this form. Click on Submit when ready to send.
- Your name:
- Email address:
- 1. Do Mr. Omer's symptoms fit the profile of normal bereavement? Please explain your reasoning.
- 2. Depression is a common problem in older people that is often misdiagnosed and treated as dementia. How can you distinguish between depression and dementia?
- Depressed clients will complain of memory problems, and demented clients will deny memory problems.
- Identifying the onset of depression is difficult, but the onset of dementia tends to be rapid and obvious.
- The demented person has stable, albeit apathetic behavior patterns, while the depressed person experiences wild fluctuations of behavior.
- Depressed clients have little to no change in self image. Demented clients tend to have a poor self-image.
- 3. Other than bereavement or depression, what are some other possibilities that may be considered as a diagnosis? Please list at least three.
- 4. What kinds of questions would you ask Mr. Omer to get more information that would rule out some causes and support other ones?
Next step: Interview »