How to help an elderly person with depression

What are the best antidepressants for the elderly? What do you need to know about elderly depression? How to help seniors fight depression? Many family caregivers, like Kendra, feel powerless, because they don’t know how to help an elderly person with depression.

While every situation is different, there are a few things to try that can really make a difference for them.

Many seniors go through major life changes that could make them more vulnerable to depression. But it’s heartbreaking to stand by and watch someone deal with depression or loneliness on their own. Zara Lewis shares ways you can help your older adult cope with symptoms and improve their quality of life. Doing things for a depressed person is often not helpful at all, because it reinforces their perception that they are worthless and incapable, she. There are many ways how can you help an elderly person with depression, so you shouldn’t feel discouraged.

Depression can be a scary word and diagnosis to face. But many people experience it at some point in their lives and are capable of overcoming it completely. When an elderly person experiences symptoms of depression , it should be taken seriously, and both medical care and life changes may need to occur.

It is important to note that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depression occurs in only about - of the general elderly population. Clinical depression in the elderly is common. Late-life depression affects about million Americans ages and older. But only receive treatment for depression. Elderly patients might also be reluctant to talk about their feelings or fail to understand that physical symptoms can be a sign of depression.

For elderly people living independently, isolation can make it difficult to reach out for help. She first of all reminds us, with confidence, that, If an elderly friend or relative is experiencing anxiety, stress or anxiety-based depression , there. Remember that depression is a complex disease, and try to understand that the depressed person is not herself or himself right now.

It can also cause (or be caused by) physical health issues. Anxiety in Elderly : Getting Help. A person must display symptoms of depression for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with the condition. Numerous therapies can also help an elderly person with depression. It is not a sign of a person ’s weakness or a character flaw.

You can’t “snap out of” clinical depression. Most people who experience depression need treatment to get better. There may be issues that an elderly person might not feel comfortable to talk of, to family members or friends.

This is when having session with a psychoanalyst will help. Acupuncture is about ying and yang and striking the right balance. Learn about depression and aging and what depression treatment works best for seniors.

Symptoms of depression in someone who is elderly — including fatigue, loss of appetite and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities — can be mistaken for the aging process. If you have concerns that an elder may be depresse here are some tips about how to approach the situation to get the person help : Be supportive (and maybe a little pushy). A depressed person often withdraws from social activities and feels hopeless.

Your attempts to be supportive or invite the person to do things may be turned away.