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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Caregiver status: a potential risk factor for extreme self-neglect
Natalia Ortiz1, Ruth Lamdan, Shaneek Johnson
1Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, TUH-Episcopal Campus, Temple Univ. School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19125, USA.
Background:
Family caregivers are known to be at risk for physical illness and emotional distress caused by the extreme demands of the caregiving task.
Objective:
The authors present the case of a middle-aged, well-educated woman with advanced endometrial cancer, the symptoms of which she had ignored over an extended period of time because of her family obligations.
Method:
The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy and was evaluated for depression and subsequent delirium.
Results:
The patient was informed about her poor prognosis and was transferred to a skilled nursing facility.
Discussion:
The authors conclude that the caretaking responsibility, along with a low-grade depression, contributed to her delayed presentation and treatment.
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