
About Depression In Old People	Causes of Senior Depression	Help For Senior Depression	Mistaking Depression For Alzheimer's	Self Help for Depressed Seniors	Depression Causes Memory Loss

Older Persons Lose

Their Will To Live

Ella Traver | ElderThink | 02.05.11

Depression in older persons leads to suicide more frequently than in any other age group. People over 65 account for more than 25% of all suicides and among white men over 85, the suicide rate is six time more than the general population. Last year, the majority of suicides among the elderly shot themselves to death.

I can imagine why this happens. Older people lose their capacities. They can't get around as well as they used to and it makes them crabby. Their spouse and friends get sick or die, their families don't visit. They are lonely, become depressed and kill themselves.

Look at it this way. If your spouse is in a nursing home or dies, you rarely see your kids, and you know you will feel sick and in pain and lonely for the rest of your life, why go on?

Somebody somewhere needs to care to make life worthwhile again.

SPECIAL REPORT

Depression Can Be Mistaken

For Alzheimer's

Natural and Unnatural Depression

Depression Is Rarely Normal

ElderThinker | 02.05.11

One of the most common types of depression is internal and caused by a chemical imbalance. It seems to appear from woman in tears nowhere. A second common type has an understandable cause such as loss of a loved one, or loss of a job.

In general, depression means a sad mood that exceeds normal sadness or grief. Sometimes the intensity of depression can interfere with a person's ability to manage the simplest daily tasks. When the depressed person is unable to manage for a significant period of time, then treatment is needed.

There are diseases that can cause symptoms of depression and they should be ruled out by a physician and testing. These diseases include thyroid disorders, diabetes, alcoholism, Parkinson's disease, multiple schlerosis, stroke, and some viral infections.

Many people with depression also have physical symptoms. Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse, so headache, back pain and joint pain could be more acute. Depression can cause chest pain, stomach problems, fatigue, sleeplessness, weight loss or weight gain.

Depressed people are unable to change their mood or approach to life. They feel sad or hopeless or numb every day. It is difficult

Many of the Therapies for Treating Chronic Pain Are New And Older People Just Don't Know About Them.

for them to find enjoyment in anything, and it's hard to make decisions. It's common for depressed people to feel overly guilty for minor mistakes or for things that aren't really their fault. This form of sadness is a slippery slope that could lead to suicide. We should all take it very seriously.

Anxiety sometimes accompanies depression. Anxiety will make the symptoms more severe and it's harder to find the right treatment.

The best thing for a seriously depressed person is lifestyle changes and often outside help is required to get things on the right track. Bathing and grooming regularly at the same time every day are important. A healthy diet, a regular exercise program, yoga and breathing exercises are all a good beginning.

Some medications and combinations of medications can cause depression. A treatment plan should include a review with a doctor of all meds and their doses.

There are new drugs on the market that will help but they take time to work. In fact, it can take a few weeks to discover the right dose or meds combination. During that time, the depressed person will need support and encouragement every day.

About Depression In Old People	Causes of Senior Depression
Help For Senior Depression	Mistaking Depression For Alzheimer's
Self Help for Depressed Seniors	Depression Causes Memory Loss