Treatment and follow-up
Treatment for geriatric depression does not only address mood. It first screens for suicide, delirium, and physical emergencies, then integrates psychotherapy, personalized medication, management of pain, chronic diseases, and polypharmacy, along with family and community support into a single plan. Following treatment, meals, sleep, medication management, outing and relationship functions, falls, confusion, and side effects are tracked together.
Psychotherapy and Support for Relationships and Loss
Address lethargy, avoidance, loss, and changes in relationships through CBT, IPT, etc., and realistically connect the patient via phone calls, visits, and social gatherings.
Personalized Medication Therapy
Medications are selected based on the condition, cognitive status, all current medications, and fall risk, while tracking efficacy, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion.
Physical Condition, Pain, and Life Support
We treat the underlying cause and pain, and specifically arrange support for meals, sleep, transportation, medication adherence, and accompaniment to medical appointments.
Severe or Treatment-Resistant Care
Diagnoses and medications are re-evaluated through specialist care; for life-threatening or treatment-resistant conditions, brain stimulation therapies such as ECT are considered.
Not Explained by Aging, Willpower, or Loneliness Alone
Rather than simply encouraging comfort and social gatherings, we maintain diagnostics, safety, and physical, cognitive, and medication evaluations, while tracking the ability to eat and go outdoors.
Do Not Change Medications or Health Products Arbitrarily
Since prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, Korean herbal medicine, and supplements differ in their interactions and risks upon discontinuation, the entire list must be verified with the prescribing medical staff.
Korean Herbal Medicine Does Not Replace Psychotherapy, Medication, or Emergency Care
While maintaining standard mental health treatment and physical/cognitive evaluations, Korean herbal medicine is used only as limited support for persistent burdens regarding sleep, digestion, pain, and vitality.
How Baekrokdam approaches care
Baekrokdam does not view suicide, delirium, neurological emergencies, or the inability to eat and drink as primary targets for Korean herbal medicine treatment. Only after maintaining primary care, geriatric mental health evaluations, psychotherapy, medication, and the management of cognition, diseases, and polypharmacy, do we set supportive goals if chronic burdens of sleep, digestion, pain, or vitality hinder functional recovery.
- Suicide plans, confusion, hallucinations, and neurological changes
- Mood, interest, cognition, and self-care function
- Sleep, meals, weight, pain, and hydration
- All medications, dizziness, drowsiness, and falls
- Outings, conversation, and family/caregiving support
Prioritizing Life, Consciousness, and Neurological Safety
We determine if immediate connection to emergency services is necessary based on suicide plans, confusion, paralysis, inability to eat, and the ability to manage medications.
Verifying Standard Treatment and Polypharmacy Plans
By sharing mental health, physical, and cognitive evaluations along with current medications, we ensure that treatment is not arbitrarily discontinued or delayed.
Supporting Only Remaining Physical Burdens
Even while maintaining standard treatment, Korean herbal medicine goals are set only for items among sleep, digestion, pain, and vitality that repeatedly disrupt functioning.
Immediate emergency or mental health treatment takes priority for suicide plans/attempts, acute confusion, paralysis, hallucinations, and the inability to manage meals, hydration, or medication. Korean herbal medicine treatment does not replace or delay standard care, which includes psychotherapy, medication, and physical/cognitive evaluations.
