Signs of depression in seniors

What are common symptoms of depression? How to help seniors fight depression? WebMD explains the signs of depression in your aging loved one and different treatment options. Read about common signs and symptoms of depression in Seniors: including relevant statistics, causes, side effects, and any co-occurring disorders seen with severe depression in Seniors.

You’d think it would be easy to detect depression in an older person — after all, many signs of sadness, including tears and lethargy, are visible.

But depression, like many other ailments, often manifests differently in the elderly compared with younger people. Seasonal depression is not about fleeting moods or temporary gloominess that arrives out of coincidence. There are many reasons why depression in older people is often missed or untreated. Depression in Seniors Is Often Overlooked. 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. On top of that, depression reduces a person’s ability to recover from events such as a heart attack or stroke.

Everyone is different so these lists won’t cover every person. But they’ll give you an idea of some of the more commons signs, symptoms and risk factors. Understanding depression for seniors.

The changes that come about during later life can lead to the development of depression. Normal life events such as retirement, death of a loved one, social isolation, and medical conditions are all factors that impact the development of late in life depression. But as you can see in the list of warning signs above, very few relate to the feeling of sadness.

More often, senior depression can take on signs of increased pains of a medical condition. If the depression is severe or isn’t being relieved with any of these self-help options, it may be time to search for outside help. The NIH notes that cognitive behavioral therapy can often help ease depression in seniors because its goal is to help the person overcome negative thinking patterns that often make them feel worse.

Warning signs of depression may include: There is not a distinct line between the symptoms of grief, loneliness and depression , says Dr. Victoria Walker, vice president of medical services and quality for the Good Samaritan Society. While the overall pattern of symptoms is similar at any age, elderly depression symptoms can manifest in different ways.

It is important for family members to understand the warning signs of depression in seniors and to seek out help as soon as possible. When most people think of depression , they think of sadness. Signs and symptoms of late life depression.

The symptoms of depression can greatly affect your quality of life and ability to function in your daily life.

For some older adults with depression , sadness is not their main symptom. The signs and symptoms of depression in older adults vary widely. They may have other, less obvious symptoms of depression , or they may not be willing to talk about their feelings.

Irritability and drastic changes in mood are just a few of the signs of bipolar disorder in the elderly. When looking for signs that your senior may be suffering from bipolar disorder, you must look for the symptoms of the manic and depression phases. It is a common but serious mood disorder that needs treatment.

Six and a half million adults and older suffer from depression , according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.