	Register \| Sign-in
Home > Articles > Symptoms Of Depression > Elderly Depression

Topics

morefocus Articles

	Symptoms of Depression
—	Families and Depression
—	Depression Causes
—	Identifying Depression Symptoms
—	Childhood Depression
—	Elderly Depression
—	Depression Statistics
	Depression and Related Conditions
	Depression and Anxiety
	Postpartum
	Treatments for Depression
	Teen Depression

RSS

Read Article Resources Comments

The Triggers of Elderly Depression

Older adults frequently have to cope with big changes to their lifestyle.

The emotional upheaval associated with life changes such as retirement, loss, bereavement, grief, loneliness, moving house, fixed incomes, dependence on social services, disability, lack of exercise, increased insomnia, and multiple illnesses may often trigger the onset of depression in the elderly.

Depression, however, should not be viewed as an inevitable consequence of these major life changes or of aging itself. Many depressed older people experience an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and talk about suicide when confronted with life changes.

A great deal, however, can be done to prevent and treat depression in the elderly. Treatment might include a combination of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is considered to be one of the safest and most effective forms of treatment for severe or psychotic depression.

In addition, many medical centers and large hospitals have psychiatrists, known as "psychogeriatricians," specifically trained to treat older adults who are displaying symptoms of depression.

Late-Onset Depression: The Symptoms

Symptoms in the elderly often go undetected and may be mistaken for dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, strokes, heart disease, or thyroid disorders. In addition, depression symptoms are frequently dismissed as a side effect of medication prescribed for another disability.

One of the main reasons why the condition goes undetected is that it rarely appears by itself.

Typical signs exhibited by the elderly include agitation, anxiety, extreme grief, insomnia and irritability. In cases of psychotic depression, delusion and hallucination are also commonplace.

Depression in the Elderly: Medical Causes

Many older people have one or more medical illnesses that can cause the onset of depression. Medical ailments that may trigger the condition include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, vascular dementia, hypothyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus, certain cancers, and even chronic insomnia.

Depression caused by medical illnesses is highly responsive to treatment.

Drug Interaction and Side Effects

It is not uncommon for older adults to be taking several medications at the same time. Research into drug interaction and the side effects of medication has found that a number of medications may cause or worsen the condition in the elderly. For instance, drugs for treating blood pressure, ulcers and Parkinson's disease are among those medications known to aggravate or cause the onset of depression.

The Facts

An estimated fifteen percent of over-65-year-olds are affected.
Primary care physicians often fail to diagnose the condition in older patients.
As many as twenty percent of elderly bereaved are sufferers during the twelve months following the loss of their partner.
The percentage of elderly people afflicted with the condition is slightly higher than in the overall population.
Mortality rates are higher in the depressed elderly.
Alcohol abuse is up to four times greater among elderly people who are depressed.
Suicide rates are almost twice as high as in the general population, and older people are more likely to carry it through.
Older people are just as responsive to treatment as young people.
Depression does not lead to senility or dementia.
Psychotic depression, where the patient suffers from hallucination and delusion, occurs most frequently in the elderly.
Depression is not a normal part of the aging process, and should not go untreated.
Elderly persons are more likely to become depressed if they have previously suffered from the condition.
To date, only limited research has been carried out into treatment of the condition in the elderly.

Resources

Alexopoulos, G.S., Katz, I.R., & Reynolds, C.F. (2001). Depression in older adults. The Expert Consensus Guidelines Series.

McManamy, J. (nd). Depression. Retrieved September 21, 2001, from www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/depression.

McManamy, J. (2002). Depression in the elderly. Retrieved January 23, 2003, from www.mcmanweb.com/article-33.htm.

National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). Mental disorders in America [NIH Publication No. 01-4584].

National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). Let's talk about depression [NIH Publication No. 01-4162].

Royal College of Psychiatrists. (2001). Depression in the elderly. Retrieved May 27, 2004, from www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info/help/depeld/index.asp.

Email Article

Print Article

Comment on this Article

This site is designed to provide information, not medical advice. Please consult your physician if you have any questions or concerns.