Health

This information on mental health and aging comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Depression is a true and treatable medical condition, not a normal part of aging. However older adults are at an increased risk for experiencing depression. Depression is not just having “the blues” or the emotions of grieving the loss of a loved one.

A. Someone who is depressed has feelings of sadness or anxiety that last for weeks. He or she may also experience: feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism; guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness; irritability and restlessness; loss of interest; fatigue; difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions; insomnia, early-morning wakefulness or excessive sleeping; overeating or appetite loss; thoughts of suicide; persistent aches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not improve with treatment.

A. Older adults are at increased risk. About 80 percent of older adults have at least one chronic health condition and 50 percent have two or more. Depression is more common in people who also have other illnesses (such as heart disease or cancer) or whose function becomes limited.

Older adults are often misdiagnosed and undertreated. Health care providers may mistake an older adult’s symptoms of depression as a natural reaction to illness or the life changes that may occur as we age, and therefore not see the depression as something to be treated. Older adults often do not seek help because they don’t understand that they could feel better with appropriate treatment.

A. The good news is that the majority of older adults are not depressed. Some estimates of major depression in older people in the community range from less than 1 percent to about 5 percent but rise to 13.5 percent in those who require home health care and to 11.5 percent in those who are hospitalized.

A. Many older adults see an improvement in their symptoms when treated with anti-depression drugs, psychotherapy or both. Those concerned about being depressed, should see a health care provider. The 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

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