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
richard frank and co-authors analyze the unique experience of depression at older ages and recommend increased access to mental health care.
elderly depression is more common than you may think. find out the signs and symptoms of geriatric depression and discover treatment options.
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.
study is first to examine links between insomnia, inflammation and depression in seniors.
approximately seven million adults in the united states experience late-life depression. not surprisingly, depression is highest among seniors who have lost their independence.
six tips to support them and get the help they need watch video
older people are at greater risk of developing mental health conditions because of the cumulative effect of numerous risk factors, including chronic illness and isolation.
samhsa has a number of products for serving older adults with mental and substance use disorders that can be useful to clinicians, other service providers, older adults, and caregivers.
depression affects an estimated 8% of persons in the united states and accounts for more than $210 billion in health care costs annually. the u.s. preventive services task force (uspstf) and american academy of family physicians recommend screening for depression in the general adult population. additionally, the uspstf recommends screening children and adolescents 12 to 18 years of age for major depressive disorder. all screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up. the two-item and nine-item patient health questionnaires (phqs) are commonly used validated screening tools. the phq-2 has sensitivity comparable with the phq-9 in most populations; however, the specificity of the phq-9 ranges from 91% to 94%, compared with 78% to 92% for the phq-2. if the phq-2 is positive for depression, the phq-9 or a clinical interview should be administered. screening all postpartum women for depression is recommended by the uspstf, american academy of family physicians, american academy of pediatrics, and american college of obstetricians and gynecologists. women should be screened for depression at least once during the perinatal period using the phq-2, phq-9, or edinburgh postnatal depression scale. in older adults, the geriatric depression scale is also an appropriate screening tool for depression. if screening is positive for possible depression, the diagnosis should be confirmed using diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., criteria.
this analysis estimates the share of older adults who reported anxiety or depression amid the covid-19 pandemic.
feeling down, hopeless and low energy are not normal signs of aging — they could be signs of a treatable mood disorder
late-life depression occurring in older adults is common, recurrent, and malignant. it is characterized by affective symptoms, but also cognitive decline, medical comorbidity, and physical disability. this behavioral and cognitive presentation results from altered function of discrete functional brain networks and circuits. a wide range of factors across the lifespan contributes to fragility and vulnerability of those networks to dysfunction. in many cases, these factors occur earlier in life and contribute to adolescent or earlier adulthood depressive episodes, where the onset was related to adverse childhood events, maladaptive personality traits, reproductive events, or other factors. other individuals exhibit a later-life onset characterized by medical comorbidity, pro-inflammatory processes, cerebrovascular disease, or developing neurodegenerative processes. these later-life processes may not only lead to vulnerability to the affective symptoms, but also contribute to the comorbid cognitive and physical symptoms. importantly, repeated depressive episodes themselves may accelerate the aging process by shifting allostatic processes to dysfunctional states and increasing allostatic load through the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and inflammatory processes. over time, this may accelerate the path of biological aging, leading to greater brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and the development of physical decline and frailty. it is unclear whether successful treatment of depression and avoidance of recurrent episodes would shift biological aging processes back towards a more normative trajectory. however, current antidepressant treatments exhibit good efficacy for older adults, including pharmacotherapy, neuromodulation, and psychotherapy, with recent work in these areas providing new guidance on optimal treatment approaches. moreover, there is a host of nonpharmacological treatment approaches being examined that take advantage of resiliency factors and decrease vulnerability to depression. thus, while late-life depression is a recurrent yet highly heterogeneous disorder, better phenotypic characterization provides opportunities to better utilize a range of nonspecific and targeted interventions that can promote recovery, resilience, and maintenance of remission.
backgroundit has become an alarming issue that older adults in china are facing mental health issues, causing severe depression. in this context, intergenera...
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.
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
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.
experiencing depression as an older adult can indicate that a person has dementia, according to a new study.
this information is written for older adults who have or think they might have depression, and the people who care for them.
older people are less likely than younger people to report depression, but it
we all feel a little sad or down from time to time but feeling down is not the same as feeling depressed or depression.
in this cme article, learn about the best ways to assess depression in the geriatric population.
seniors often assume that feeling depressed is a natural part of the aging process, and while short periods of sadness are, major depression is not.
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discover more about depression - age 65+ in the united states from america's health rankings
depression in the elderly is a real thing and the risk is increased as seniors age. how do you recognize depression in the elderly?
depression is the most common mental health problem in the elderly[1] and is associated with a significant burden of illness that affects patients, their families, and communities and takes an economic toll as well. prevalence studies suggest that 14% to 20% of the elderly living in the community experience depressive symptoms,[2] with higher rates among the elderly in
depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest and can interfere with your daily functioning.
depression in elderly persons is widespread, often undiagnosed, and usually untreated. the current system of care is fragmented and inadequate, and staff at residential and other facilities often are ill-equipped to recognize and treat patients with depression. because there is no reliable diagnostic test, a careful clinical evaluation is essential. depressive illness in later life should be treated with antidepressants that are appropriate for use in geriatric patients. a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, including consideration of electroconvulsive treatment in some cases, is important. the overall long-term prognosis for elderly depressed patients is good.
depression among older adults is not typical and can have serious consequences. learn how to help. the center for mental health and aging.
learn more about how depression can be different for older adults.
fact sheet on mental health and older adults providing key facts and information on risk factors, dementia , depression, treatment and care strategies, who response.
older adults go through many life changes such as death of loved one, retirement and/or medical problems.
depression can affect older adults differently than their younger counterparts. here are four types of depression older adults should know about.
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.
who fact sheet on depressive disorder (depression) providing key facts and information on types and symptoms, contributing factors, diagnosis and treatment, who response.
phenomenology of depression in older compared with younger adults: meta-analysis - volume 200 issue 4
during the #pandemic, #olderadults experienced higher rates of #socialisolation, #anxiety, and #depression. learn more about the #mentalhealth toll of #covid—and find out ways you can get the help and support you need.👇
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.
our older adult service team shares information on depression in older adults, covering symptoms, causes, treatments and more.
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.
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
as we age, we may be at increased risk for depression, but depression in seniors is a treatable medical condition.
geriatric depression is a mental health condition affecting older adults. learn here about its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.
hospitalised older adults frequently present as depressed on our wards, but research suggests that healthcare staff often struggle to identify depression, let alone provide suitable care and support.
background depression is among the common mental health problems in late-life and an important public health problem. studies from both middle- and high-income countries have shown that depression is more common among older people than in adolescents. many older people with depression are overlooked, and fewer efforts are made to mitigate their suffering. despite depression being a major public health problem among older adults, its overall magnitude, and its main predictors were not determined for the development of appropriate measures. hence, the objective of this study was, therefore, to estimate the overall prevalence of depression and identify its predictors among older adults in ethiopia. methods available articles were searched by means of different databases using the prisma guideline. the quality of the included studies was assessed using a jbi quality appraisal tool. stata version 14.0 (stata corporation, college station, texas, usa) statistical software was used to analyze the eligible studies. subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. cochran’s q and the i2 test were used to assess heterogeneity. the presence of publication bias was evaluated by using egger’s test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots. result in this meta-analysis, we included 11 articles that assessed 6521 older adults. the overall prevalence of depression among older adults in ethiopia was 41.85 (33.52, 50.18). the finding was higher in the oromia region with a prevalence of 48.07% (95% ci: 35.62, 60.51). the finding also demonstrated that being female (aor = 1.76, 95% ci: 1.17, 2.63), no formal education (aor = 1.82, 95% ci: 1.03, 3.19), with chronic diseases (aor = 2.46, 95% ci: 1.00-6.06), and no social support (aor = 2.01, 95% ci: 1.06, 3.83) were found to be independent predictors of depression in older ethiopian adults. conclusion our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that almost two out of five older adults had depression. female sex, no formal education, having chronic diseases, and no social support were the independent predictors of depression among older adults in ethiopia. the study emphasizes that depression among older adults in ethiopia calls for appropriate screening and interventions to reduce the occurrence and its overwhelming consequences.
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 every once in a while is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few weeks or months, you may have depression.
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.
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.
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