Depression in Seniors

Depression in Seniors

Is your elderly loved one more tired or irritable than usual? Are you noticing that they are eating less than normal? Have they lost interest in things they would normally enjoy and indulge in?

These are not typical signs of old age. These are common signs of depression.

Depression among seniors is unfortunately, more common than you might think. About one in five seniors in America have either full blown depression or a form of depression.

You may be asking yourself, what is depression? Depression is a common but serious mood disorder that effects millions of people around the world. It causes people to be less active in many areas of life, (eating less, going out less, sleeping more) and it can also be coupled with worry and anxiety. Depression is often considered synonymous with sadness, but it is a stretch. Often, people who are depressed often cannot pinpoint why they are depressed, because it’s caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

Sometimes symptoms of depression in seniors are confused with that of dementia. For example, slow movements and memory might be off with both dementia and depression affected elderly people. However, seniors with depression have no problem with remembering dates, places or things.

As for treatment, there are options. First off, there’s psychotherapy. This is where a social worker, or psychologist worth in hourly sessions with the client with proven methods to overcome the depression and to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Depending on the cause of the depression, solutions might vary. For example, if the depression is caused by loneliness, the solution might be to visit friends and family and community involvement. Another option is medication. Antidepressants are designed to regulate the chemical imbalance in the brain.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma associated with mental illness that is a greater among older people. Thus, many seniors will refuse to initially admit that they have depression. But if left untreated it can deteriorate the quality of life for a person. If you suspect that your loved one may have depression we recommend that you see a geriatric health care specialist.