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Depression and Aging (Part 2): When Should We Talk About Depression?

Depression is a mental health disease that can touch any of us at all stages of life.  However, it is particularly prevalent in the elderly, and is in fact the most common psychological disorder late in life.  Depression affects over 6 million older adults. And yet, in this population, depression is often ignored or overlooked, as its symptoms can be confused with other physical ailments.

In our last post, we discussed  WHY we should talk about depression with our aging loved ones.  This week, we will discuss  WHEN to talk about depression.  In our next post, we will discuss  WHAT we should talk about when discussing depression with seniors.

Unless you have a reason for concern, there is no reason to dive headfirst into a discussion about depression with an aging family member.  Conversely, if (1) you suspect your loved one is at risk, (2) your loved one is suffering through a time of loss, or (3) you see the telltale signs and symptoms of depression, you should talk to your loved one about it.  We cover these three situations below:

(1) When You Suspect Your Loved One is at Risk

Be on the lookout for depression if your loved one has any of these risk factors:

  • Being female
  • Having a personal family history of depression
  • Having a chronic illness or caring for someone who does

(2) When Your Loved One is Suffering Through a Time of Loss

“Loss” can include a wide variety of areas:

  • Loss of good health
  • Loss of independence
  • Loss of loved ones
  • Loss of companionship

(3) When You See Signs and Symptoms of Depression

The DSM IV provides standard criteria by which doctors make a diagnosis of major depression.  According to the manual, you should suspect depression if you see at least five of the following symptoms persist nearly every day for at least two weeks, and if these symptoms represent a change from the way the individual has felt or functioned in the past:

  • Depressed mood (feeling sad or empty, or seeming sad or tearful)
  • Greatly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities
  • Significant weight gain or loss without dieting, or increased/decreased appetite
  • Sleeping much more or less than usual
  • Observable slowing down or speeding up of activity
  • Fatigue or loss of energy
  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
  • Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
  • Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal thoughts without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or specific plan for committing suicide

When you suspect that a loved one is suffering from depression, it is time for a talk about getting a medical checkup that includes a psychological evaluation.

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