Depression in Seniors
Depression is not a natural part of aging. Many seniors express a great deal of satisfaction with their lives even as they deal with health challenges, the loss of friends and loved ones, and financial concerns.
Depression in the elderly may be overlooked for several reasons. First, they may be less likely to express their negative feelings to family, friends, or health professionals because of a concern that they may be perceived as weak or unable to care for themselves. Second, many of the medical maladies that affect older members of the population also cause symptoms that are similar to depression. Some medications taken to treat those maladies also can cause depressive symptoms.
According to the National Institute for Mental Health, older Americans are disproportionately likely to die by suicide. Of every 100,000 people age 65 and older, 14.3 died by suicide in 2004. The national average is 10.9 suicides per 100,000 people in the general population. Non-Hispanic white men age 85 or older had an even higher rate, with 17.8 suicide deaths per 100,000.
Doctors and family members should be alert to symptoms of depression and learn to recognize when what may have started out as a natural grieving process turns into depression. The American Academy of Family Physicians has identified some ways to identify depression in seniors:
- Unexplained or aggravated aches and pains
- Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
- Fretting obsessively about money, health, or other concerns
- Memory problems
- Loss of feelings of pleasure
- Slowed movement or lethargy
- Increased irritability
- Lack of interest in personal care (skipping meals, forgetting medications, neglecting personal hygiene)
