Blog

Latest Blog Postings on Mental Wellness

Dementia Subtypes
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Dementia is caused by various diseases and conditions, many with no cure. The table below shows the early symptoms, pathology, and prevalence of four main dementia subtypes, all progressive and irreversible. Type of DementiaEarly SymptomsPathologyPrevalenceAlzheimer’s…

read more
Age-related Forgetfulness and More Serious Memory Problems
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Problems with memory, particularly for recent events, is not uncommon during the aging process. Many people worry about how serious a case of “forgetfulness” may be. However, in contrast to the types of memory problems…

read more
Delirium: What is It and What are the Signs?
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Delirium is a state of mental confusion and disorganization. Delirium and dementia are different. This state of mental confusion and disorganization is found in older adults when they are experiencing a sudden or acute physical…

read more
Depression, Dementia, and Delirium: What are the Differences?
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Depression, dementia, and delirium are colloquially referred to as the “3 D’s”. First, what depression looks like: a) sad mood, feeling worthless, hopeless, and helpless; b) loss of interest, decreased energy, and loss of initiative;…

read more
Caregiver Approaches when a Resident May Be Depressed
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Seven Recommended Approaches when Interacting with a Resident Who May be Depressed Recognize symptoms – The older adult population typically does not admit to feelings of depression. Importantly, many are from an era when people…

read more
Assessment of Depression in Older Adults: What are the Considerations?
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

These factors should be kept top of mind when assessing for evaluating depression in older adults: Older adults have higher rates of transient, recurring and atypical symptoms of depression (e.g., apathy, multiple physical symptoms and…

read more
Overcoming Social Anxiety
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

A person with social anxiety may experience uneasiness in everyday social situations. She may be afraid of being judged negatively by others or worry about embarrassing herself. There may a fear of talking with strangers,…

read more
Resistance: How to Reduce It
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Authored by Joseph M. Casciani, PhD In the field of aging, when we talk about reducing resistance, an important distinction has been made between compliance and adherence. Compliance has the connotation of authority. Subordinating to…

read more
Building Connection among Residents in Senior Living Settings
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

For a variety of reasons (see our blog on Retreat), encouraging greater engagement and building connection among residents in their community requires patience. It often requires a gradual process of trust-building and relationship-building activities on…

read more
Recommendations for Increasing Engagement of New Residents
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

As new residents move in and become part of the new community, increasing engagement is a deciding factor in their successful adjustment. Following are several steps to facilitate a smooth transition: Employees should be aware…

read more
Relocation Stress Syndrome or Acute Stress Disorder?
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

Relocation stress syndrome may occur in older adults following an abrupt change in living arrangement. It may develop following a traumatic event such as the sudden loss of a spouse or serious injury. However, the…

read more
Why Residents May Isolate when Moving to a Senior Living Community
800 560 Joe Casciani PhD

There are many factors to consider when trying to understand a resident’s reluctance to engage in community activities. This article presents many reasons why residents may isolate in their community settings. Some reasons may relate…

read more

Dr. Casciani has been thinking about, and helping people, be well, physically and mentally, for decades. He can’t help but put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and share his thoughts and insights. We hope you find knowledge on mental and physical wellness, and find value here.

What does mental wellness look like? What does it take to be resilient? How do we keep moving forward when facing a major challenge? How do we overcome depression and pessimism?

Living to 100 Club members turn aging on its head, knowing and understanding age is only a number. The Living to 100 Club is for everyone, of all ages, who want to maintain a positive outlook about our futures. The Living to 100 Club offers fresh and inspiring perspectives on aging successfully, no matter how much help we may need adapting to growing older. Whether we’re still running marathons or confined to a wheelchair, we can always keep a positive frame of mind, strive for mental wellness, look forward to events in our future, and plan on living to 100.