Individuals aged 65 or older have many risk factors for depression including being female, being unmarried or widowed, having at least one recent life event Stress in their life, and also the lack of an adequate social and supportive network in place. The symptoms of depression for the elderly are pretty much the same as those for younger individuals with a few exceptions.
Other risk factors include certain medications or combination of medications that they may be taking, a recent bereavement of a loved one, and the presence of severe or Chronic Pain, any damage to their body such as a recent Heart Attack, surgery, or amputation of a limb. Family history of depression, their own previous depression, any past suicide attempts or alcohol or other chemical abuse can also put them at risk for depression.
Risk factors are different from causes of depression. These causes can range from isolation and loneliness to having a reduced sense of purpose in life. Fears that the elderly face are also high on the list of possible causes leading to the state of depression.
There is a difference between an elderly person experiencing a single episode of Grief following a significant loss and clinical depression. A grieving elderly individual may have some of the same symptoms as one who is depressed has but the grieving individual experiences the symptoms in an intensity and duration which is disabling to his/her ability to function and the symptoms are unrelenting in nature. No one can set a timetable on appropriate grieving, certain characteristics of the grieving process can be classified as within the normal range and symptoms that last longer or are more intense than is expected for the “normal grieving of individuals of the same age group” are always warning signs that what is being experienced is not grieving but indeed depression.
Symptoms of depression in the older adult:
It is not always easy to recognize the symptoms of depression in the elderly even for professionals. There are some telltale symptoms that together with how long the symptom has been going on and the intensity as well as the ability to function or not in daily expected tasks are ways that individuals and professions can gage the degree of the symptoms when making a determination of depression or grieving.
Some of the more common symptoms of depression are:
Abandonment issues or having a loss of interest in those things that usually bring pleasure like activities, friends, hobbies. Another clue might be the reluctance of the person to leave home or to leave a room in the home like the bedroom.
Fatigue which is not associated with an illness or from lack of sleep that can be traced to a normal reason for the lack of sleep (nighttime travel, grandkids sleeping over)
Fixation on the idea or questions about death, expressions of suicide or making any action to be ready for suicide including any attempt to die by suicide
Loss of self-worth including worrying about being a burden to others, feeling unworthy of attention or to be given normal daily needs like food, shelter, clothing etc.) and also any expression of self-loathing.
Sadness that increases in intensity or lasts longer than normal.
Sleep disturbances either getting too much sleep over what is normal or experiencing difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep.
Socially withdrawing from family members, friends, or activities like meetings, group outings etc. that usually are routine for the individual.
Weight loss which is noticeable or a loss of appetite.
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