Four Facts about Depression in Older Adults

Did you know that depression affects over two million Americans over the age of 65?  When other physical health conditions are present, it may cause mental health issues to arise during the aging process.  As professionals in home health care in Philadelphia, we help many seniors cope with the affects of aging, including health care, therapy, caregiving responsibilities, and much more.  This involves taking care of their mental health or alerting their family members of any potential signs of depression that we may see.  There are a few facts to better understand the affect of depression on older adults.

Many older adults are not familiar with the symptoms of depression.

Because of the stigma attached to mental health in the previous years, many older adults may be unfamiliar with the symptoms of their depression.  When you are caring for the elderly, you will want to educate them on some of the common mental illnesses that many seniors suffer from so they feel comfortable talking about these aspects of their life with you.

Many choose to handle their symptoms on their own.

Instead of asking for help, many older adults will choose to handle their depression on their own.  This may mean that they are suffering in silence, embarrassed of their symptoms, or even confused about how to properly treat their symptoms.  Because they may be unsure of how to deal with their depression, they can struggle with asking for help.  Those who care for older adults will want to stay diligent in watching out for the signs of depression.

Depression is triggered by other physical illnesses.

One of the primary reasons why depression is so prevalent is because it can be caused by another illness.  When older adults suffer from chronic pains or aches or other illnesses, like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, they may develop signs of depression as well.  As they cope with the difficulties of their illness, depressive thoughts, social withdrawn tendencies, and sadness may come into their lives.

Widowhood also causes depression.

Older adults also deal with the loss of their loved ones, spouses, and friends.  When they suffer from a death of their spouses, it is common for them to suffer from temporary depression as they grieve.  Death alters their lifestyle, socialization tendencies, happiness, and habits.  When something like this occurs, you will want to be there for them so they do not feel alone and have the ability to talk about how they feel in a healthy way.

These are a few facts that can help you better understand the affect that depression may have on older adults.  If you are caring for your senior loved ones, you will want to know what signs to look for to ensure that your loved ones are happy and healthy.  Contact Empire Home Health Care in Philadelphia, PA to hear about how we can help you manage their depression symptoms today.