It is a natural part of life. But when the sadness persists and interferes with everyday life, it may be depression. Depression is not a normal part of growing older. It is a treatable medical illness, much like heart disease or diabetes.
Depression is a serious illness affecting approximately 15 out of every 100 adults over age 65 in the United States. The disorder affects a much higher percentage of people in hospitals and nursing homes. When depression occurs in late life, it sometimes can be a relapse of an earlier depression. But when it occurs for the first time in older adults, it usually is brought on by another medical illness. When someone is already ill, depression can be both more difficult to recognize and more difficult to endure.
Recognizing depression in the elderly is not always easy. It often is difficult for the depressed elder to describe how he or she is feeling. In addition, the current population of older Americans came of age at a time when depression was not understood to be a biological disorder and medical illness. Therefore, some elderly fear being labeled “crazy,” or worry that their illness will be seen as a character weakness.
The depressed person or their family members may think that a change in mood or behavior is simply “a passing mood,” and the person should just “snap out of it.” But someone suffering from depression can not just “get over it.” Depression is a medical illness that must be diagnosed and treated by trained professionals. Untreated, depression may last months or even years.
If you know an elder who is depressed, there is truly one important thing you can do to help that person. Offer them a variable of the advice of Shakespeare, “Get thee to a doctor”!!!!!!!
– Stephen Rudolph