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Depression in the elderly - the geriatric depression scale

Depression in the Elderly is both a very common and very pertinent problem. As is the case with children, depressive symptoms in elderly individuals are often less apparent than those in younger adults. This is primarily due to the fact that they attempt to keep their problems hidden for fear of being a burden on anyone. Tests such as the Geriatric Depression Test can provide practitioners with valuble information relating to the mental health of their older patients.

As one ages, daily existence often becomes more isolated. Children move out and continue with their own lives, retirement ensues, spouses and loved ones pass away and social networks become smaller.

In addition, the body is neither as healthy nor as resilient as it used to be and physical ailments often become a common occurrence. All in all life becomes a lot more difficult and depression slowly sets in.

When ones body is no longer functioning optimally and total independence is not possible, it is far easier to become despondent. Those elderly patients suffering from ailments such as strokes, cardiac illness, diabetes, aneurisms, cancer and high blood pressure have been known to develop symptoms of depression far more easily than those who are fit and healthy. Similarly, elderly individuals who do suffer from depression are far more likely to develop heart conditions and succumb to physical illness. This is primarily due to the fact that depression lowers the immune system and reduces the ability to recover effectively from illness.

It is estimated that over 6 million elderly individuals in the USA alone suffer from some or other form of depressive disorder. Sadly, medical practitioners are often slow to recognise and treat the symptoms of depression in older patients due to the fact that they assume that they have physical rather than neurological roots. This often results in elderly patients having to bear the burden of symptoms alone for far longer than they should.

Treatment options available to elderly individuals suffering from depression tend to be similar to those offered to younger patients. The main difference in the treatment of the elderly lies in the fact that they do not always respond well to medication. Conditions such as low blood sugar or high blood pressure may be aggravated by certain types of antidepressant medication. There is also a greater risk of side effects and adverse reactions to antidepressants in older patients. Thus, medical practitioners usually start elderly patients on lower doses of antidepressant medication and continue treatment for longer. Alternatively, a combination of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Psychotherapy may be used in cases where medicinal treatment has been ruled out.

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