Depression is Not a Normal Part of Aging

The Visiting Angels Home Care Resource Library:
Depression is Not a Normal Part of Aging

More physicians are learning to look for depression when treating elderly patients. Even so, we must recognize that depression is not a normal part of healthy aging. Seniors, like people of all ages, can be prone to suffer depression when they are faced with:

• Loss of family and friends
• Financial insecurity
• Loss of their independence
• Loss of physical functions
• Inability to continue activities they have enjoyed
• Metabolic instability

“If you recognize the possible signs of depression in an older person you know, bring it to the attention of a family member, their physician or their caregiver.  Seniors should not be left to grapple with depression…”

The loss of family and friends compounds the effect of all the other factors that can trigger depression. Through life it is our interaction with friends and family that help us see the bright side of things, regain our perspective and help distract us or temporarily divert our attention during illnesses and tragedies until we can regain our psychological balance. When we lose members of that support network, we have to hope that the network is broad enough to sustain us. That is why it is important to stay active, social and involved.

Metabolic instability can also contribute to our inability to cope with other changes in our life. Vitamin deficiencies, glandular malfunctions, drug interactions, even the slowing down of our metabolic processes, can lower our tolerance for coping with the other changes with which seniors must deal.

Signs of depression are not always as obvious to the untrained eye.  Ask yourself the following about the seniors in your life:

• Are there days they do not get dressed and/or get out of the house?
• Are they run-down, and “sick” all the time?
• Do they spend many hours without social contact?
• Do they easily fly off the handle and seem angry most of the time?

If you recognize the possible signs of depression in an older person you know, bring it to the attention of a family member, their physician or their caregiver.  Seniors should not be left to grapple with depression.