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Astudy in the March edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry senior-authored by Jerome C. Wakefield, a professor at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University with Mark Schmitz of Temple University and Judith Baer of Rutgers University, empirically challenges the effectiveness of psychiatrists’ official diagnostic manual in preventing mistaken, false-positive diagnoses of depression.

The findings concerning the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM) criteria for diagnosing depression rebuts recent criticism of earlier research by Wakefield. That earlier research suggested that misdiagnoses of depression are widespread, and touched off considerable controversy.

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I was recently invited to review They’re Your Parents, Too!: How Siblings Can Survive Their Parents’ Aging Without Driving Each Other Crazy
by former Time magazine boomer beat reporter Francine Russo.

Color  me CRAZY!

I’ve traveled down this road, and reading Francine’s book  brought back some all too familiar scenarios from one of the darkest chapters of my life following the death of my mother, and my fathers subsequent decline into dementia.

My own family dynamics were riddled with anger, past resentments, criticism and guilt. I had not experienced a good relationship with my brothers for the 20 years  prior to my mothers death, and shared little to no contact with them.  I was the child who was “far away” and  subsequently faced 4 brothers who refused to share information  (with regard to my father) about health, finances, or indeed anything.

Francine’s book greatly helped me to  make sense of the psychological dynamics, demands and consequences .

This was a time that exposed past untold stories and a range of  very difficult emotions for me. Much of what occurred in my own family was inevitable.

My relationship with my siblings was not worth mending,  and I  have been able to accept this and move on.

Will you and your siblings be able to reach an understanding and work together, or will the challenges you face tear you apart? They’re Your Parents Too is an indispensable guide for anyone whose parents are aging. No matter how well prepared one thinks they are – anticipated and unanticipated struggles in caring for aging parents do seem to take a toll on sibling relationships

Francine Russo’s book is filled with expert guidance from gerontologists, family, therapists, elder-care-attorneys, financial planners and health workers. She recounts engaging, helpful stories of sisters and brothers who struggled to find their way through this family challenge as their parents age.

This is a must have book/manual for anyone who is a  caregiver for someone who is aging, professionals who are working with families of the elderly and anyone who wants to repair their relationships with their siblings— I highly recommend it. 😀 – Kathy

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Have you ever forgotten to post an important letter or let an appointment slip your mind? A new study from UK researchers suggests that for those who regularly use ecstasy or other recreational drugs, this kind of memory lapse is more common. Their research, which uncovered potential links between memory deficits and cocaine for the first time, Journal of Psychopharmacology, published by SAGE.
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