DEPRESSION IN OLDER ADULTS

Depression is much more common in older adults than most people realize. As many as one in four people will suffer from depression at some time during their life. It is more common in women than in men. It can affect anyone at any age. Sometimes, is assumed that older people do not get depressed, so the signs and symptoms may be overlooked. Families may think the signs the older person is having are just normal aging.

Unfortunately, depression is sometimes neglected or misdiagnosed in older adults. The diagnosis of depression is a significant one and should be made by a healthcare provider. There are simple questionnaires that can help diagnose depression in older adults.

Depression has many causes and can run in families. The older person may have another illness like Alzheimer's disease that contributes to depression. Or, an older adult may be on medications that can cause depression or make a mild case of depression worse. Loss and loneliness may be factors in depression.

Older people may feel lonely and blue. An early sign of depression is the cutting back on activities that they normally enjoy. Nearly all older depressed people lose their appetite. The result being that they start losing weight. They can also eat more than usual, and gain weight. They may have trouble sleeping. More often they may wake during the night and are not able to fall asleep again. They may experience a lack of energy or a feeling of being very tired. Because of this, they may spend more time in bed.

Depression is not something that can be "shaken off" or ignored. These signs should be taken seriously in the older adult. They may be signs of depression or another illness. Anytime an older person is showing these signs, their provider should see them. The older person should have a complete medical check-up. The check-up should include a list of all the medications the person is on, including over-the-counter medications, and any alternative or herbal treatments they take.

There are many treatments available for depression. The two main treatments are counseling and medications. Many providers prefer a combination of the two. Some people will need to take medications for the rest of their lives, but many people can be stabilized after which the medication may be stopped. There are new antidepressants that have very few side effects and that usually work well for older adults.

For more information about depression in older adults, contact any of the following organizations:

For the National Foundation for Depressive Illness, call (800) 239-1265 or visit their website at www.depression.org.
For the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association, call (800) 829-3632 or visit their website at www.ndmda.org.
For the National Mental Health Association, call (800) 969-6642 or visit their website at www.nmha.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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