learn about depression - older adults, find a doctor, complications, outcomes, recovery and follow-up care for depression - older adults.
new research explores the mental health landscape for older americans and suggests pathways to improve age-specific care.
what is depression? depression is a mental health condition that causes you to feel sad, lose interest in activities that you used to enjoy, withdraw from others, and have little energy. it
a new study found that depression prevalence among older adults was greater for those who were 65 – 69 years old.
older adults with depression showed increased signs of accelerated biological aging, including poorer brain and overall health compared to their peers without depression.
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depression is not a normal part of aging. learn the signs of depression in older adults and what you can do to help yourself or someone you care about.
introductionas relatively little is known about self-efficacy and social support in individuals aged 65 years and older and whether they are facing a decline...
find out how the right community can help prevent depression in seniors by providing the opportunities and support they need to thrive as they age.
depression affects more than 19 million americans every year, regardless of age, race, or gender. while depression is not a normal part of the aging process,
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. the
recognize depression symptoms in seniors and help parents get the treatment they need.
in older adults, the warning signs of depression are less clear-cut. learn what to look out for, when to see a doctor, & why having a support system is important.
feeling down, hopeless and low energy are not normal signs of aging — they could be signs of a treatable mood disorder
depression in the elderly, or geriatric depression, is a mental and emotional disorder affecting older adults. feelings of sadness and occasional "blue”" moods are normal. however, lasting depression is not a typical part of aging.
backgroundit has become an alarming issue that older adults in china are facing mental health issues, causing severe depression. in this context, intergenera...
depressed older adults, like younger persons, tend to use health services at high rates, engage in poorer health behaviors and evidence what is known as "excess disability." depression is also associated with suicide. older adults have the highest rates of suicide of any age group, and this is particularly pronounced among men.
the changes of aging can sometimes lead to depression, but there are effective ways to prevent and treat depression later in life.
who fact sheet on depressive disorder (depression) providing key facts and information on types and symptoms, contributing factors, diagnosis and treatment, who response.
our older adult service team shares information on depression in older adults, covering symptoms, causes, treatments and more.
elderly depression is more common than you may think. find out the signs and symptoms of geriatric depression and discover treatment options.
late-life depression (lld) is defined as a depressive disorder occurring in a patient older than 60 years, although the onset and definition of cutoff may vary.[1] the impact of clinical depression in older adults can be significant, and choosing effective psychotherapeutic and pharmacological management options can be challenging.
depression can affect anyone at any age, but is often not recognized in older adults because some signs of depression can be mistaken for signs of aging.
learn more about how depression can be different for older adults.
the uk population is ageing rapidly, with the number of people aged 65 and over growing by nearly half in the past 30 years.
discover more about depression - age 65+ in the united states from america's health rankings
in this cme article, learn about the best ways to assess depression in the geriatric population.
having the occasional period of feeling sad or blue, which then resolves on its own is a normal part of life and is not considered depression. when symptoms become more common, or more intense, however they should not be ignored. a physician, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical psychologist should be consulted in order to determine the type of depression that may be present, so the person can be treated effectively.
older adults go through many life changes such as death of loved one, retirement and/or medical problems.
depression and suicide: what you need to know and what you can do depression is a common mental health condition. for some people depression is mild and short-lived; for others, it is more severe and longer-term. some people are affected only once; others more than once. at worst, depression can lead to suicide. there is a lot that can be done, however, to prevent and treat depression and to help people who are thinking about suicide.
approximately seven million adults in the united states experience late-life depression. not surprisingly, depression is highest among seniors who have lost their independence.
older people are especially at risk for loneliness, which increases their risk of anxiety, depression or both. socializing and physical activity can help.
background depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. it is also one of the most common geriatric psychiatric disorders and a major risk factor for disability and mortality in elderly patients. even though depression is a common mental health problem in the elderly population, it is undiagnosed in half of the cases. several studies showed different and inconsistent prevalence rates in the world. hence, this study aimed to fill the above gap by producing an average prevalence of depression and associated factors in old age. objective this study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a precise estimate of the prevalence of depression and its determinants among old age. method a comprehensive search of pubmed, scopus, web of sciences, google scholar, and psych-info from database inception to january 2020. moreover, the reference list of selected articles was looked at manually to have further eligible articles. the random-effects model was employed during the analysis. stata-11 was used to determine the average prevalence of depression among old age. a sub-group analysis and sensitivity analysis were also run. a graphical inspection of the funnel plots and egger’s publication bias plot test were checked for the occurrence of publication bias. result a search of the electronic and manual system resulted in 1263 articles. nevertheless, after the huge screening, 42 relevant studies were identified, including, for this meta-analysis, n = 57,486 elderly populations. the average expected prevalence of depression among old age was 31.74% (95% ci 27.90, 35.59). in the sub-group analysis, the pooled prevalence was higher among developing countries; 40.78% than developed countries; 17.05%), studies utilized geriatrics depression scale-30(gds-30); 40.60% than studies that used gms; 18.85%, study instrument, and studies having a lower sample size (40.12%) than studies with the higher sample; 20.19%. conclusion a high prevalence rate of depression among the old population in the world was unraveled. this study can be considered as an early warning and advised health professionals, health policymakers, and other pertinent stakeholders to take effective control measures and periodic care for the elderly population.
adults over the age of 60 with mental health and/or substance use disorders are faced with challenges to live successfully in the community. they have complex
older people are less likely than younger people to report depression, but it
marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the u.s.
while older adults struggle with many of the same stressors as younger people, they face a host of unique risk factors for #depression. learn about common causes, the latest treatments, and where to turn if you need urgent support.👇
the older adult population is growing. depression in the older adult population in the community has a prevalence of 2-10%. in hospitalized geriatric patients, the prevalence is 30%. depression and anxiety can be more difficult to recognize in these patients, as they may have different symptoms than younger patients. sometimes, physicians may even misdiagnose these patients with more somatic disorders because they failed to recognize a mental health disorder. mental health is important at any age, especially when that stage of life leads to loss: loss of a family member, home, or the ability to drive. physicians may have trouble recognizing that an elderly patient has a mental health disorder because they are treating multiple other comorbid conditions. remember that grieving that goes on too long is no longer just grieving. this population will have to cope with many life stressors as they age. risk factors there are many contributions to the risk of mental health disorders in the geriatric population. for instance, life stressors, such as death or moving into assisted living, can trigger mental health problems. being of an older age, these patients are more likely to experience these stressors. decreased mobility, frailty, and chronic pain can worsen the mental health of these older adults. these can result in isolation, loneliness, or psychiatric distress. physical conditions can contribute to the risk of mental health problems. for instance, patients with coronary artery disease have a greater incidence of depression. also, the older a patient becomes, the more likely it is for them to suffer some mental health distress. sleep problems are common in the older adult population and can contribute to the development of mental health issues. lack of exercise and physical activity can also lead to more mental health disorders. and the presence of functional limitations with activities of daily living is a risk factor. even just having previous mental health problems in life will predispose a patient to develop them later in life as well. signs what does depression look like in the geriatric population? there may be a noticeable change in mood in these patients. these patients may experience anhedonia a loss of desire to participate in activities that were once important to them. this may mean that the patient used to go to bridge once every week, but she stopped attending. or maybe she stopped going to church. perhaps the patient has a change in her appetite, either decreased or increased, which can result in significant weight gain or loss. many older adults with depression experience decreased concentration and will find it hard to focus on tasks or reading. they may lose money or pay bills twice. they can experience a loss of energy and fatigue, making it difficult to get up and go when needed. this fatigue can be debilitating and can be the stimulus for other symptoms as well. these patients may exhibit psychomotor retardation, moving so slowly that the people around them notice it. or agitation may occur with no good reason for it. sleep may be affected—both insufficient sleep and too much sleep can cause problems. and thoughts of worthlessness may infect their minds. these patients may have thoughts of death or suicide but not share them with anyone. daily activities may be affected, such as forgetfulness and misplacing items. they may order two of the same magazine subscriptions, forget to pay the bills, or hide money from other family members. they may engage in more high-risk activities than recommended for their age. their relationships may change as well. friends and neighbors usually notice this first. their behaviors may be inappropriate, such as talking very loud or quietly, paranoia, or agitation. they may display multiple wounds, injuries, or burns from weakness, forgetfulness, or even misuse of substances. they may even show a decline in their usual hygiene and household cleanliness. however, these changes may not present themselves when they are at the doctor’s office. they need our help. how to help ask for it. involve family members to give their perspective on how the patient lives at home. they will have observations that you cannot have yourself. and educate yourself on proper care of mental health in older adults. remind yourself that this age group needs you to be their quarterback. there are many tools online to help you to improve the care of our aging population. remember to screen these patients for substance abuse because you never know what may contribute to their mental health. familiarize yourself with the difference between healthy aging and what is not healthy aging. practice using active listening when you are with your elderly patients. the cdc has a program for the aging population called pearls (program to encourage active, rewarding lives), which offers an in-home counseling program. the world health organization also has resources available in their age-friendly world. ensure you are doing your part to help address mental health in older adults. conclusion the older adult population is growing and is already affected by mental health issues. it takes an excellent physician to recognize these symptoms in this population. don’t hesitate to look further if something about that patient doesn’t sit right with you. do the work and the fact-digging to get to the bottom of the problems. help to remove the stigma that still surrounds mental health disorders. there are many resources to aid you in this. the cdc has a resource for healthy aging. the national institute of mental health is a great reference for both providers and patients. to learn how to engage in conversation with your patients through motivational interviewing, download our latest white paper.
depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest and can interfere with your daily functioning.
study is first to examine links between insomnia, inflammation and depression in seniors.
phenomenology of depression in older compared with younger adults: meta-analysis - volume 200 issue 4
everyone ages differently. older adulthood (65+) can be a period of life that brings newfound freedom to retire and focus on new hobbies, travel, or spending mo
richard frank and co-authors analyze the unique experience of depression at older ages and recommend increased access to mental health care.
fact sheet on mental health and older adults providing key facts and information on risk factors, dementia , depression, treatment and care strategies, who response.
study indicates link between tech use, anxiety, depression
as we age, we may be at increased risk for depression, but depression in seniors is a treatable medical condition.
experts now recognize that aging and anxiety are not mutually exclusive: anxiety is as common among the old as among the young
depression among older adults is not typical and can have serious consequences. learn how to help. the center for mental health and aging.
symptoms of depression and mental health issues in older patients often go undetected. here's how to spot warning signs and what to know about treatment.
marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the united states.
several lines of evidence have indicated that depression might be a prodromal symptom of alzheimer’s disease (ad). this systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the cross-sectional association between amyloid-beta, one of the key pathologies defining ad, and depression or depressive symptoms in older adults without dementia. a systematic search in pubmed yielded 689 peer-reviewed articles. after full-text screening, nine csf studies, 11 pet studies, and five plasma studies were included. no association between amyloid-beta and depression or depressive symptoms were found using cerebrospinal fluid (csf) (0.15; 95% ci: −0.08; 0.37), positron emission topography (pet) (cohen’s d: 0.09; 95% ci: −0.05; 0.24), or plasma (−0.01; 95% ci: −0.23; 0.22). however, subgroup analyses revealed an association in plasma studies of individuals with cognitive impairment. a trend of an association was found in the studies using csf and pet. this systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that depressive symptoms may be part of the prodromal stage of dementia.
experiencing depression as an older adult can indicate that a person has dementia, according to a new study.