{"id":5078,"date":"2015-05-25T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=5078"},"modified":"2017-09-19T13:17:14","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T18:17:14","slug":"depression-in-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/05\/depression-in-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"Depression in Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Depression in Seniors\"Depression<\/h1>\n

Depression is a common and treatable illness that often goes undiagnosed among older people. As part of National Mental Health Month<\/a><\/strong>, here are answers to frequently asked questions about how depression affects seniors and how proper diagnosis and treatment can improve your overall health.<\/p>\n

Who gets depressed?<\/h2>\n

Anyone can develop depression, from children to people in their 90s. About 20% of people over 65 in the US have depression, and older adults have unique risk factors. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill<\/a><\/strong> (NAMI) says that women over age 65 are more likely than younger women and men of any age to develop depression, although older men who become seriously depressed are more likely to become suicidal. Because depression is caused by a combination of many factors, especially neurochemical changes, even someone who\u2019s always had a positive outlook can develop depression late in life.<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t depression just part of aging?<\/h2>\n

Experts answer this emphatically: No, depression is not a normal or inevitable part of growing older. The National Institutes of Health<\/a> <\/strong>cites research showing that \u201cmost older adults feel satisfied with their lives, despite having more physical ailments.\u201d Depression isn\u2019t just a blue mood. Untreated depression can cause health problems such as malnutrition and sleep deprivation, and it can be a contributing factor<\/a><\/strong> in some cases of dementia.<\/p>\n

Despite the many problems depression causes, older people with depression are less likely than younger people to ask for help, either because they assume it\u2019s normal, because their symptoms are thought to be caused by dementia or another illness, or because they\u2019re embarrassed to ask for help due to the stigma that used to surround mental illness.<\/p>\n

What are some signs it\u2019s time to see the doctor?<\/h2>\n

Any talk of suicide is a medical emergency and requires a trip to the ER for evaluation. White men over 85 have the highest suicide rate of any age or ethnic group, so it\u2019s important to take suicide talk seriously. NAMI says that other signs of senior depression may include:<\/p>\n